Manorisms
by night.drive
Summary: Ginny’s landed a job at Witch Weekly. The crisis: she has to interview one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors: Draco Malfoy, Weasley hater extraordinaire. Will the interview be award winning or turn into an award winning disaster?
1. Chocolate Solves Everything

**A/N: If you started reading this story when it was published back in oh... 2006-2007; I've changed things around! The concept is the same and I've kept a few passages from the original two chapters, but otherwise, a lot has changed! So please be sure to read from the beginning!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, or really awesome ideas. If I did, I definitely would not be posting here on ! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Chocolate Solves Everything**

Ginny Weasley eagerly stepped into Hogsmeade Village and made her way down the path to Honeydukes. Hogsmeade still took her breath away, even after being given the privilege of coming here during her Hogwarts years. The village looked just as beautiful in the spring time as it did in the winter. Instead of the village slumbering underneath the blanket of white snow, it was now awake with bursts of colors exploding about the path. The trees were beginning to blossom, the birds were chirping away, and the sun was shining brightly on the villagers and visitors of the cozy town. Knowing she didn't have time to dawdle around town, she made the most of her lunch break to stock up on some confectionaries in order to calm her nerves.

Ginny was anxious to learn whether or not her placement at _Witch Weekly_ would be permanent. She had been with _Witch Weekly_ for about a month now, and was eagerly waiting to find out what her new assignment would be. The wizarding magazine had her on a trial basis in order to test her writing and reporting capabilities. After being a part of the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team for a couple of years, Ginny transitioned into a less evasive career as a Quidditch correspondent for the _Daily Prophet_. Fashion and gossip wasn't something she was the most skilled at writing, but Ginny decided to take on the challenge for writing for the premier entertainment magazine.

As she stepped into the sweet shop, the bell above the door tinkled. The sweet aroma of freshly made fudge wafted by her nose, making the red-head sighs in pleasure. Honeydukes was just as she remembered it. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. As far as her brown eyes could see, there was candy everywhere. Her eyes fixated on the chocolate section in the far left corner of the shop, and her feet quickly guided her there. As she scanned the shelves, she mentally sorted through the wide variety of sweets the store offered: Charm Choc, Chocoballs, Chocolate Frogs, Chocolate Wands, and much more. She stopped at Wizochoc, her favorite chocolate treat. Created by using three types of delectable delights - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and Honeydukes' own prize-winning fudge - it was easily the sweet that made Ginny's mouth water.

Reaching out for a handful, she nearly collided with another person, almost knocking her head into their tall frame.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't-," but Ginny stopped short when she realized who it was that she had bumped into. Of course, it was none other than Draco Malfoy. There he was in all his self-acclaimed glory – shining platinum blond locks, imperial gray eyes, expensive robes and all. She inwardly swore. Of course she had to run into the last person on earth she would want to see on a day when she was already frazzled with nerves and anxiety.

"Gods, Weasel, you need to learn to watch where you're going!" He scowled as he made a show of dusting his robes, as if the proximity of being in contact with a Weasley had soiled his robes. Ginny rolled her eyes irritably.

Draco smirked, "Merlin's beard, are you trying to rot all your teeth or is it that time of the month?"

"How misogynistic of you, Malfoy. Of course a woman can't simply eat chocolate because she enjoys it," Ginny scowled, her coffee eyes flaring with annoyance. "Besides, chocolate has many uses, it solves everything." As the words rolled off her tongue, the teachings of the late Remus Lupin come back to her from her Hogwarts days.

"I always did think that Lupin was a nutter," Draco retorted.

She gives him an icy glare from her usually warm brown eyes that elicited a slight look of surprise from Draco Malfoy. Clutching her small pile of chocolates possessively like a small child, she sniffed, "Besides I should be asking you the same thing, you nearly cleaned out the entire shelf."

He looked down and saw that his pile of acquired sweets was much larger than hers. "Oh, never you mind Weaslette, at least I can afford to buy however many sweets I want to."

That definitely did the trick as Ginny pushed past him with a huff. "Oh, sod off, Draco Malfoy!"

After standing in line to pay for her chocolates, she tried to cool off as she exited the shop. Of all of the days she had to run into the git, it had to be today. She was already at her wit's end and Malfoy knew exactly which buttons to push. He was the same insufferable prat that made her school days miserable.

The single chime of the clock tower in the center of the village brought her out of her train of thought. "Merlin's beard! I better head back to work," Ginny cried, and with a frantic _pop_ she disappeared from the town square.

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**Please read and review! Thank you!**


	2. The First Official Assignment

**A/N: If you started reading this story when it was published back in oh... 2006-2007; I've changed things around! The concept is the same and I've kept a few passages from the original two chapters, but otherwise, a lot has changed! So please be sure to read from the beginning!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, or really awesome ideas. If I did, I definitely would not be posting here on ! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 2 – The First Official Assignment**

Sorting through that day's post, Ginny sighed impatiently. The news from the editor of the magazine could not come fast enough. A faint smile appeared as she reflected on her change of career. It still took getting used to not being out on the Quidditch Pitch practicing various maneuvers, or constantly being on the move as a correspondent. Sitting behind a desk in her calm workspace, waiting for the work to come to her, still needed adjusting to.

It was a nice change of pace from her the life that she was used to, Ginny thought wryly as she eyed the family portrait on her desk. All of the male Weasleys, their respective wives, and Harry were staring back at her, smiling. She quickly faced the portrait down on the desk when she glanced into Harry's emerald eyes. Although they had broken up amicably three months ago, it sure didn't feel that way anymore. He had clearly moved on quickly, as if eager to put their relationship behind him, and she felt as if she was sitting here, gathering dust with no prospects in sight.

_Bills. Letter from Mum. Hermione. Bills. A letter _from_ Bill. Junk Owl._ Ginny sorted through her mail impatiently in order to distract herself from her relationship woes. Her amber eyes were eagerly searching for the _Witch Weekly_ logo that would be emblazoned onto the top of the envelope. It had been an interesting month during her trial period at the publication. She was used to working with a bunch of females thanks to her Quidditch days, but never such catty women. Many employees were quite artificial to each other and did whatever they could to get ahead of the game. This was in stark contrast to the camaraderie she had experienced with her teammates. Furthermore, the workers were so much more feminine than what Ginny had grown accustomed to. She knew she wasn't ugly; after all, there had been several lads that stopped more than once to look at her during her school years. But these women took it to a whole new level. The majority of the employees looked prim and proper, up to date on the latest trends, and always looked impeccably groomed. In contrast, Ginny felt rather plain and out of touch with the current fashion. Having jobs that didn't require her to pay much attention to such details turned out to be a drawback for this new career path.

Lo and behold, the letter that she had been searching for was at the bottom of the stack. Pulling a few of her auburn-scarlet curls behind her ear, Ginny slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the note. Taking a deep breath, she gathered the courage to read through the message:

**WITCH  
**_ Weekly,_

_Dear Ms. Ginevra Weasley,_

_Congratulations! Your trial article has more than exceeded our expectations. We quite enjoyed your fascinating article, "Six Sinful Ways to Seek out Revenge: A Guide for the Broken-Hearted"._

Ginny had to grin at that line. Having had her share of break-ups, the red-head thought that a way for girls to overcome their relationship woes would be a fun read. She combined many of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products in her steps to avenging heartache. Being the sister of the infamous Weasley twins, Ginny had been trained in the art of pranking. Besides, who didn't love those fun lists in magazines? Continuing the letter, her eyes trailed across the piece of parchment:

_You definitely have what it takes to be a writer for this magazine. After taking your trial article into consideration, I have decided to assign you your second assignment_

Ginny shrieked in delight and her mind was reeling with excitement. The red-head felt like she had consumed a goblet full of Felix Felicis; she was finally able to adequately pursue a passion of hers that had been put aside for a long time: writing. Ever since she had gotten a diary (albeit, an evil and cursed diary), she wrote with such ferocity. The freedom to be able to express her thoughts freely and organize her feelings and emotions neatly onto a piece of paper gave Ginny a rush like no other. She loved how the words easily flowed out of her quill and stuck to the parchment. She loved the subtle details that could make a story come alive. It was like her quill was her brush; the parchment being a canvas on which she gave life to beautiful imagery for others to look at and admire.

Suddenly, the thought of that week's upcoming Sunday dinner made her anxiously excited. What wonderful news it would be to tell her parents that she had gotten the job! Finally, the youngest Weasley would be able to create a name for herself in a field that was untouched by her onslaught of brothers._ Imagine one day, Ginny Weasley, Editor-in-Chief, with her own office! _Wait, what was her assignment, anyway? She had been so wrapped up in her excitement and imagination that she had never finished the letter:

_The upcoming edition of the magazine is one of our most anticipated issues. We will be releasing this year's Most Eligible Bachelors of Great Britain. You have been assigned to interview one of the men on the list: Draco Malfoy. In addition, your article will be the cover story of the next issue and will feature a photoshoot and spread inside the magazine. Arrangements have been made with Mr. Malfoy's team in regards to setting up an interview. Please be sure to heed the deadlines below._

_Regards,  
__ Theodore__ Manlethorpe  
__ Editor-in-Chief_

Ginny gaped at the parchment. Malfoy? Draco sodding Malfoy? She grimaced at the thought of having to interact with him. How could her editor assign such a disastrous interview to her? Did Manlethorpe not know of the intense Weasley-Malfoy rivalry? Most women of her age group would jump at the opportunity to interview the illustrious, elusive Malfoy, but not Ginny Weasley. What redeemable qualities would a Malfoy have? As she had witnessed from her latest encounter with the ferret, he hadn't changed much. He was probably still an imitation of his now deceased father, Lucius Malfoy, who was notorious for his hatred of muggles, muggle-born witches and wizards, anyone who had associated with those types of people. True, the Malfoys had walked away unscathed unlike the rest of their Death Eater friends during the aftermath of the war, especially in part to their last minute change of heart. But old rivalries die hard. _Maybe he has changed… A lot has happened over the past several years…._ A little voice crept into her brain. "Don't hold your breath," she replied out loud.

Interrupting her trip down memory lane, a sandy brown owl flew into her open office window and dropped a note onto Ginny's desk. The bird imperiously ruffled its wings, expectantly waiting for an owl treat. She opened her side desk drawer and gave the carrier its reward. With another self-important ruffle, the bird took off and flapped away into the sunny afternoon sky. Turning the envelope to open it, she saw the still warm green wax sealing the envelope, etched within was a serpent wrapped around a sword, making the beginnings of a calligraphy-styled letter M. _That explains the owl with the superiority complex._ The letter proceeded to outline the possible meeting times that would align with Malfoy's busy schedule.

Begrudgingly, she took out a piece of clean parchment and a black feather quill. Her stationary had magically updated her new title, now proudly displaying at the top "From the Desk of Ginevra Weasley, Feature Writer – Witch Weekly". Smiling at her new title, Ginny quickly scrawled down a response to arrange a meeting with her interviewee. In three day's time she would be encountering Draco Malfoy at The Three Broomsticks.

Now that that had her assignment had been taken care of, she wondered how to even begin this harrowing task. To create an entertaining guide was one thing. Interviewing someone, especially Draco Malfoy, was a completely different story. Opting to do what she had done for previous pieces; her best bet was to do some research on her subject first.

* * *

Pushing away from her desk, Ginny jumped out of the seat and decided to stretch her legs. An hour of paperwork had gotten to her and it was time to move around. Stretching her arms into the air, she made her way down the corridor to one of the other reporter's workspaces.

"Hey, Juliet," Ginny said as she stopped at one of the many desks strewn about the floor. She smiled at the young woman who was sitting behind the mahogany desk in front of her.

"What can I do for you, Ginny?" looked up Juliet, with her blue eyes sparking in a friendly manner, and set her quill into its inkpot. Juliet was one of the few genuine women Ginny had come across at the office. The brunette was not shallow like many of the others that Ginny had come across and seemed to share the same sense of humor as she did. She reminded her of Luna in a way – with her off-beat style. Juliet's hair was cut unevenly, one side longer than the other, creating a lop-sided bob with fringed bangs, just ending at her eyebrows. She had several piercings in her ears, each studded with a small jewel. She wore a full purple flowing skirt with a white peasant blouse, forgoing the traditional work robes altogether. For a lack of a better word, Ginny would have described her style as _cool._

"Well, I was beginning on my first official assignment-"

"Oh! Congratulations, Ginny! I told you that you would get the job!" Juliet interrupted Ginny, jumping out of her seat to give her friend a hug.

"Thanks!" said Ginny, grinning. "Except, you wouldn't believe who I have to interview – Draco Malfoy."

"Why what's wrong with him? You're so lucky! To be able to interview Draco; he may be in the tabloids a lot, but he's quite handsome!" With that, her fellow reporter began to get a faraway look in her eyes.

Ginny resisted the urge to vomit all over Juliet's desk. The thought of Malfoy's scowling face was enough to make her ill. "Juliet! I'm a Weasley! Weasleys and Malfoys do not mix! Any of my er- colorful experiences at Hogwarts were always no thanks to him."

"Oh… Right. I forgot about that," She was clearly willing to put aside her family name and pride for an attractive fellow. "But you never know! He might not be such a prat anymore. And besides, even if he is, he's still something nice to look at," Juliet added cheekily, earning herself a smack on the arm from her friend.

* * *

After giggling over other matters and sharing the excitement of embarking on her new career, Ginny decided that she ought to head back to her own desk and get some work done before the end of the day. However, she was stopped halfway down the corridor by one of the many catty secretaries. The journalism world was very fickle; even the non-journalists were out to move up the ladder in the workforce.

Alice, a raven-headed woman, with olive skin had stopped Ginny from escaping the potentially awkward conversation. In contrast to the Gryffindor, she was much taller and had incredibly long legs, which she chose to show off at every opportunity. Her heavy makeup was very carefully put on, highlighting her facial features and emitting a very sultry look. If Ginny wasn't paying attention, she would have mistaken her for one of the models that were brought in for the fashion photoshoots.

"Ginny! You must be so excited about your latest assignment – I hear you get to interview THE Draco Malfoy! You must be the luckiest witch in all of England. Have you seen him in the papers? He is positively delicious," Alice gushed in her sugary, artificial voice.

"Please don't make me lose my lunch, Alice," Ginny retorted, putting a hand to her stomach. Why was everyone so enamored with the damn man? More importantly, how had Alice even found out about her interview? While she had been chatting with Juliet, clearly news had spread around the office that she was interviewing Draco Malfoy, supposed Slytherin Sex God. Naturally, Ginny should not have been surprised, given the fact she was now working at a gossip magazine that the news would spread even quicker than word at Hogwarts.

The modelesque woman brought Ginny back from her thoughts, "I bet he's simply dreamy. He seems like he would know how to be such a gentleman, being an aristocrat and all."

Ginny couldn't help but snort at the statement. "Really? Malfoy and gentleman? In the same sentence?"

Alice's dark brown eyes glistened in anger as she narrowed her eyes, "Like you've ever experienced interacting with such a dignified crowd."

Ginny wasn't listening anymore. She was already walking back to her desk, her laughter ricocheting off the walls. That was a good one – Malfoy being chivalrous and polite! Tears were nearly rolling down her face at the ridiculous thought. Despite her grim mood in regards to her mission, that enlightening conversation with Alice pepped Ginny up to make it through the rest of her workday.

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**Please read and review! Thank you!**


	3. Impending Doom

**A/N: If you started reading this story when it was published back in oh... 2006-2007; I've changed things around! The concept is the same and I've kept a few passages from the original two chapters, but otherwise, a lot has changed! So please be sure to read from the beginning!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, or really awesome ideas. If I did, I definitely would not be posting here on ! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Impending Doom**

It was finally the day that Ginny had to encounter Malfoy, so she headed over to the second floor of the _Witch Weekly_ building early in the morning. Sliding into the lift just before the doors closed, she breathed a sigh of relief. However, to her horror, she was sandwiched between two more giggly witches that had heard of her assignment. She was getting used to hearing the water cooler gossip about her latest task, but by the time the tenth giddy witch had strolled by her workspace in order to express their undying lust for Malfoy, she was ready to hex them into next week.

Unfortunately, the woman to her left was not skilled in Legilimency to know that Ginny was not up for this discussion. "So, you're the one interviewing Malfoy, Weasley?" A well groomed eyebrow was raised in her direction by the blonde stylist.

"Well my identification card only says Ginevra Weasley," she replied wryly, grimacing at her full given name.

"You know, I dated Draco for awhile. He was by far one of the best men I have ever been with and I'm sure he wouldn't disagree either," The witch boasted, unconsciously fluffing up her golden curls.

Ginny couldn't help but let out a snort. "Well if you're so amazing, then why aren't you with him still?"

At that the woman's eyes narrowed, clearly irritated that Ginny had the gall to speak up, "Look Weasley, you better do yourself a favor and get a mirror. He won't so much as glance at you twice if you continue to look the way you do." She eyed Ginny up and down, wrinkling her nose in disdain for the red-head's plain clothes.

"Unlike you, I'm not out to sleep with every single one of my clients," Ginny retorted, and the other witch's eyes widened. Luckily the elevator's gates had opened just in the nick of time.

"Oh, look, here's my floor! I better be off!" Ginny said sweetly, giving her a feminine wave, leaving the other witch fuming as the doors shut.

Dropping her materials onto her desk, she began to flip through the newly printed _Witch Weekly_ that was dropped off at her desk. The printed paper was still warm, literally hot off the press. As she flipped through, Draco Malfoy's smirking face interrupted her browsing. _Figures he would be in the gossip section._ There he was in the finest black wizard dress robes money could buy, his white blond hair glistening from the bright flashes of the camera. She couldn't help but notice the extremely attractive blonde that was standing next to him; clearly his latest squeeze. Nearly as tall as him, she looked exquisite in her extravagant metallic silver ball gown, her hair up in a fancy updo, the crimson rouge creating pouty lips on the Amazonian woman. Together, they looked like the perfect, obnoxious, aristocratic couple that the masses ate up with unnecessary glee. Ginny gritted her teeth and slammed the publication shut, to the horror of the pictured Malfoy in the magazine.

That disgusting excuse of a man had no sense of shame – going around and dating around like he was creating a collection of conquests. She involuntarily shuddered, _Maybe that's exactly what he wants to do. Repulsive. _Ginny Weasley was no prude, having had a couple of boyfriends in her time, but she didn't go through men like a box of tissues. Not wanting to waste another thought on the ferret, she got down to her work for the day.

* * *

Draco Malfoy let out a deep breath that he was unknowingly holding. Recollecting himself from last night's event, he sat seated in his study, reflecting on last night's gala with a steaming cup of tea. His collar slightly rumpled and his tie hung around his neck, he ran a hand through his light-colored hair. Draco had to admit, he couldn't even remember what last night's event was about. It was probably some unnecessary party for some miniscule charity none of the attendees actually gave two knuts about.

Everybody was there for the same reason – to stay within the grace of the fickle elite society that they were all bred to be a part of. In order to maintain the positive image that his family had forged together and fought to maintain during the aftermath of the War, he had to bother himself with attending such parties. But that didn't mean he had to enjoy them. The majority of the events ended with most of the attendees getting entirely too sloshed for their own good. Draco stood his ground and never allowed himself to go that far. Malfoys must always remain in control, he recounted.

Even if all of the guests at such functions were not as callous and frigid as people thought, there was no denying the monotony that was his life, he realized as he sipped on his tea. His gray eyes looked outside the window, surveying the impeccable gardens of Malfoy Manor, an ivory peacock lazily strolling by. Life no longer seemed as exciting or eventful as it once was. Go to work. Do boring paperwork. Interact with unimportant co-workers. Schmooze with superiors during important meetings. Make sure the family investments were doing swimmingly. Attend silly functions that he couldn't care less about. Fraternize with an incredibly attractive woman amidst all of his engagements.

He sighed again, his hands moving to fix his collar and began to go through the motions in fastening his tie. Even tonight, an evening which he had hoped would be free so he could leisurely do what he wanted; he had to waste his time with a silly magazine interview. That rag should be so lucky, Draco scoffed, that a Malfoy would take time out of his schedule to grace the cover of their magazine.

But his vanity couldn't turn down a spot at being one of Britian's Most Eligible Bachelors, especially after finding out he had trumped the Harry Potter. With that thought, his eyes shined and his lips curled into a triumphant smirk.

* * *

The clock signaled that the workday was drawing to a close and Ginny sighed out loud as she slowly packed her belongings. Unfortunately for her, the day had sped by, not letting her escape from her impending doom that was drawing closer and closer. She stopped by the secretary's desk next to her workspace and said, "If I'm not here by noon tomorrow, please let my family know where I went, and more importantly, WHY, I went."

"I take it you haven't told them yet?" The older woman's eyes twinkling as her enchanted typewriter went ker-chip and ka-ching.

"Merlin, no! If I told them, ALL of my brothers would come with me to the Three Broomsticks! No way in hell will that happen! I casually mentioned to Ron that I had to write an article that somewhat involved Malfoy, and he didn't take it so well. The animosity may have calmed down to a sense of tolerance, but he nearly choked on his roast beef when I brought it up. Gryffindor courage be damned, I could not tell him the real deal."

* * *

As Ginny got out of the shower, she saw that within an hour's time she would be faced with the man in question. Ginny pondered what outfit to put on. _Why should I care what he thinks of my looks?_ She was asking herself. _It is proper to look professional, hence looking good,_ another one of her voices countered.

Twenty minutes later, she settled on a simple black dress that fell below her knees, a hand-me-down from Fleur that she had charmed to fit her shorter and curvier frame. Coming back from the washroom, she peeled off her black work robe and pulled the dress over her head. In an attempt to tame her scarlet mane, Ginny settled on putting her hair in a bun. She applied a simple make-up charm, which covered most of her remaining freckles and brought out her best features, such as the shape of her warm chocolate eyes. Pulling on a pair of dependable black pumps, she gave herself a quick look in the mirror. Ginny may have been on the shorter side like her twin brothers, but the outfit made her look taller and the dress emphasized her petite physique, managing to complement her frame for once. She couldn't help but give a smile to her reflection. Those harpies at the office may make her feel plain, but she knew she looked good for tonight.

"You'll impress him for sure," her enchanted looking glass murmured, interrupting Ginny's thoughts.

"Who says I'm meeting a man?" She inquired indignantly.

"Woman, dressed like that, you have be meeting a man!" The mirror hollered.

"Well, it's strictly business," she said, patting the creases out of her dress, along with pulling on a jacket.

"Who said you can't mix business with pleasure?" The mirror cooed.

With a scowl, Ginny left to the room, muttering on about the cheap mirror and how she should threaten to replace it. _I do not like those cheap-looking women he parades on his arms,_ she thought as she grabbed her purse. With one last look in the mirror, which wisely decided to stop talking lest Ginny blow it up into smithereens, she gathered her work materials and Disapparated with a soft _crack!_

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**Please read and review! Muchas Gracias!**


	4. An Interruption

**A/N: I apologize if the chapters seem a bit short. I'll try to make them as long as I can, but as I'm just getting back into the groove of writing, we'll have to see how that goes. Thanks for putting this on alert and please be sure to leave a review! It really helps to know what people think. Also, if anyone would be interested in being a beta, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE that.**

******DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, or really awesome ideas. If I did, I definitely would not be posting here on ! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 4: An Interruption**

Ginny popped into Hogsmeade Village at seven o'clock on the dot, just as the setting sun was casting a breathtaking orange-gold hue over the town. Placing her wand into the inside of her jacket pocket, she couldn't help but smile as she headed into The Three Broomsticks. The pleasant mood that ruminated throughout Hogsmeade was infectious.

As she shut the door behind her, she scanned the room for that flash of blond hair he was known for. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be found. Ginny headed to the farthest corner of the pub and took a seat, shrouded in the shadows. Interacting with a Malfoy wouldn't do any good for her reputation, even if it was for work, she conceded. As she took a sip of her water, she decided to enjoy the picturesque view that was visible through a window near her table. Even if she had to suffer through tonight with Malfoy, at least she was able to take in all of the nice scenery.

Half an hour later though, she was no longer singing that same optimistic tune. As she sat at her table, Ginny began to get restless, brushing away stray crimson curls from her face. Where the hell was he? They had agreed to meet at seven in the evening, and she had the professionalism to show up on time. She had gone through two glasses of water and her bladder and impatience was about to give way if he planned to take any longer.

Ginny groaned in frustration, "Where the hell is Mr. Pointy Chin? That stu-,"

"I would be very careful in finishing that last sentence. Wouldn't want word back to your editor about how you treat your clients, now would you?" a masculine drawl cut in lazily behind Ginny.

She definitely knew that voice anywhere. The all too familiar drawl that still made Ginny's hairs stand on end in disgust, even years later. How dare he? Her mind was reeling, so much so that she had to turn around and give that self-entitled prick a piece of her mind.

Ginny turned to face him and the pieces of her mind that she was about to give him quickly evaporated. The chatty female witches' quips about Draco Malfoy's looks were not completely all for naught. She never had an opportunity to stop and take a look at him; the twitchy ferret was always on the move or she was ready to hex the living daylights out of him.

His face had outgrown his boyish looks, replaced with a more chiseled and aristocratic face. The once pointed features now had caught up with the rest of his physical features, not appearing so sharp. His eyes looked slightly amused, lips curled in the slightest smirk. She could slightly see his lean, athletic former Seeker build peeking through his slate dress shirt, his hands in the pocket of his black pants. His over six foot frame towered over Ginny's petite stature. No longer were his platinum locks slicked back, instead they were freed from their gelled prison, and now loosely tussled. But Ginny was mesmerized by the swirling gray eyes that were piercing into hers. Although striking, they weren't completely icy and cold as she had been accustomed to experiencing in the past. Instead, there was an unreadable mix of emotions behind those eyes.

"Um... Uh… I.…" Ginny stuttered as she tried to regain her composure and give Draco a piece of her mind.

"I take it the littlest Weasel likes what she sees?" Draco asked of the bumbling read-head in front of him as he raised an eyebrow.

_The nerve of him!_ "Oh shut it, Malfoy!" Ginny retorted lamely. By now he had taken the empty seat in front of her in the shrouded corner.

"You know, for a supposed reporter of that rag you work for, I would have thought you'd be more eloquent from what I remember. Such as that Valentine you write in honor of Saint Rotter? Let's see how did it go…" Draco pretended to think hard. "Ah, yes! 'His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as-"

"I see you still have that bounce in your walk. Never were quite the same after being turned into the amazing, bouncing ferret, were you, _Malfoy?_" Ginny interrupted, while blushing furiously at the mention of that disastrous Valentine. Draco's eyes darkened at the highly embarrassing memory, but he kept his cool.

"You know, you could've at least picked a table closer. It was difficult finding you, even with that blinding red mop of so-called hair," Draco chided.

Ginny retorted, "It wouldn't be any good for my reputation to be seen with you."

"I should be the one saying that," Draco replied gruffly. "Imagine what people would say - a Malfoy with a Weasley?" He then decided to switch gears as he said, "Look, let's just get this over with. I have other important business matters to attend to after this."

"Well, excuse me, wouldn't want to get in the way of such important matters, now would I?" she replied dryly, taking out her notebook and quill. "Because, really, what would I know? I only work in the high-paced environment of a magazine."

"Exactly, Weaselette. You've seem to have come to your senses, unlike that idiot brother of yours," Draco responded as he looked at the menu.

It took all of Ginny's might not to smack that menu in his face, hopefully leaving some type of scar from its edges. With her teeth gritted, she did her best to civilly excuse herself to the washroom.

As Ginny headed back from the washroom, Draco took this opportunity to examine the woman that he would have to deal with. She was still small from what he remembered from his school days, but time had definitely done the littlest Weasley some good. She had filled out agreeably, taking on a more feminine figure, though not as stick thin as the women he was accustomed to being with. She had womanly curves, from top to bottom, but was clearly in shape as a former Quidditch player. Her legs looked long and slender in spite of her stature, as he eyed her creamy skin. Her red mane was no longer large and untamed; although it was caught in a tight bun, a few curled tendrils couldn't help but escape. Ginny's freckles no longer seemed as glaring, brightening up her complexion. He noticed that her chestnut eyes were bright and warm as she stopped midway to exchange pleasantries with Madame Rosemerta.

Yes, he had to admit, she was most definitely not ugly. . It made Draco wonder why he had never really paid attention to her at Hogwarts; even Blaise Zabini commented on how attractive she was in their sixth year. He conceded that he must have dismissed her due to her family name and status. But she was not as of high caliber as the women that he was used to dating, he reasoned, dismissing Ginny's physicalities aside. Before he knew it, those brown eyes were staring back at him, now lacking their usual luster. He didn't understand how quickly her mood could change, but he decided to ignore it.

"Right, let's get started. Shall we start off with the basics?" She inquired.

"You tell me, you're the reporter," He responded flatly. He had met some bad reporters during his time, and she seemed pretty dense.

"Fine.._._ So just give me a brief background of yourself, and how things are going on now, especially with your new entrepreneurial ventures," she said, holding quill to her notebook.

"Not much to know. I've grown up in England since birth, at the Malfoy Manor. Social engagements have been a large part of my life and unfortunately still are. Quidditch has been an ingrained passion since I was young and took it up when I went to Hogwarts. I eventually became captain and Prefect. The War occurred and obviously it ended well. Now here I am, still involved in the Ministry and enjoying the high society life," He then stopped with his quite rehearsed speech; looking bored and started to buff his nails.

He hadn't noticed the frown on Ginny's face when she said, "I take it that you have this speech memorized?"

"Look, Weasel, when you get interviewed as much as I do, every dunce asks you the same three questions. Not very good at interviewing, now are we?" He smirked.

"This is just the beginning, Malfoy," she responded, inciting a challenge from the tone of her voice.

Draco merely nodded, as if to accept her challenge, and said, "Bring it on."

Over the next half an hour as they ate, she grilled him up and down about all aspects of his adult life. In the aftermath of the war, as his family had not been brought up on any negative charges by the Ministry, Draco was free to do what he pleased. He opted to join the Auror force for a time, dealing with putting Death Eaters still trying to bring about Voldemort's ideas to fruition behind bars. More recently, he bided his time by working for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, working with the magical governments of other countries. Draco proved to be an asset thanks to his aristocratic connections in other countries.

When they began to talk about one of his investments, becoming the latest owner of the Falmouth Falcons, he noticed that her chestnut eyes immediately brightened when the topic shifted to the sport. None of the other women he had encountered had much to comment on Quidditch. Moreover, he realized none of the women that he had for company had much to say about anything.

"The Falmouth Falcons! They play incredibly dirty! I have given your beaters a piece of my mind many a time for their sneaky moves," Ginny cried, in between large bites of her food. She reminded him of an adolescent boy who was keen on eating everything in sight. The hens he roosted with barely picked at their food, as if to give more credence to their slender figures.

"Better than being associated with a team that loses a lot," Draco scoffed, referring to the Chudley Cannons, the Weasleys' favorite team.

"You take that back, Draco Malfoy!" She immediately shot back, wielding her fork in his direction like a weapon. Ginny was quick to defend the honor of her family's beloved team. "They've won the league 21 times, mind you!"

"Yes, but that was back in 1892," Draco responded, knowing that she could not deny the facts. When she took another large bite of her roasted chicken rather than responding, he smirked, knowing that he had won that battle.

"Goodness Weasley. The way you're eating it seems as you haven't had a decent meal in your life," Draco commented.

"I can't help if I like food. I'm not like those stick thin models that prance around in skin and bones," she said hotly, her brown eyes flashing.

While Ginny continued to spout off a rather impressive list of reasons as to why food and health was important, his eyes were distracted by a tall blonde woman entering the pub. She was dressed in the latest and trendiest dress robes, clearly of an expensive brand. Her long hair was flowing freely and shone in the right light as she was sauntered over to them. Draco's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Unfortunately, I'll have to cut this eating contest short, Weaselette. I have some-", he gestured with his head, "other business to attend to."

"Are you kidding me? You have to leave early because of _a date?_" She nearly screeched, throwing her fork down.

"Now, now, no need to be jealous, love. That scowl is very unbecoming of you," he chided, getting up to put on his cloak.

Ginny rolled her eyes at him, folding her arms. "Jealous? Of what? Draco Malfoy's latest flavor of the week? Yeah, right!"

"Oh, Draco? Are you finished yet? We're going to be late," a new feminine voice cut into their conversation. The blonde was now at their table, eyeing Ginny cautiously and made a show of embracing Draco in front of Ginny.

"Almost done, darling. Just have a little bit of small business to finish here," He responded coolly, clearly unaffected with the way his date was fawning over him.

"Malfoy! We're far from done here! I've barely gotten through half of my questions! I'm not going to sit around here all day waiting for you!" Ginny nearly shouted as she stood up.

"Owl my secretary and she'll set up another meeting," He responded as he threaded the blonde's arm with hers, turning his back on Ginny. As they were about to he leave, he turned his head back at her and smirked, "You know, you should loosen up a bit. Perhaps a date wouldn't hurt. Maybe a good snog would loosen you up."

As he was taking his wand out for the couple to Apparate, he heard Ginny snap angrily, "At least I'm not some dumb bint that would throw myself at anything that walks with money!"

Before he could say anything else, Ginny stormed out of the Three Broomsticks, leaving one very befuddled Draco Malfoy, astounded at the fact that he was speechless for the first time in years.

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**A/N: Hit that review button, por favor. :D**


	5. Boxers or Briefs?

**DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned these characters and the Wizarding world. But I don't. :(**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, you guys! It totally makes my day to know that there are people that are enjoying it. :) I also figured out how to reply to the reviews so I can personally thank each of you. Anyway, on to the thing you're here for...**

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**Chapter 5: Boxers or Briefs?**

"The nerve of that Draco Malfoy! Stupid insufferable Slytherin wannabe know-it-all!" Ginny yelled out her frustrations as she threw her coat onto her couch. Who did he think he was? He knew nothing about Ginny or her life. As she made her way to the bathroom after undressing, she continued to curse him in her mind. At least she had gotten the last word. That'll show him.

"I'm not Ron's little sister or Harry Potter's doe-eyed groupie that you can just walk all over," she grumbled to no one in particular as she made her way into bed. After the lights had been extinguished, she lay there in the darkness; her thoughts began to consume her. _Maybe Malfoy was right,_ a thought crept into her mind. Ginny had grown used to having to fend off suitors who were interested in her, even if she as with Harry. Things had changed once they had ended their relationship; perhaps they had only entertained her because she was the girlfriend of Harry Potter, a Wizarding hero and celebrity. And Ginny hated to admit it: she _was_ having a dry spell after her break up with Harry. In fact, she had been desperate enough to check out Malfoy.

She shook that thought out of her mind. It was only natural to look at a person's appearance, she reasoned with herself. Who am I to ignore if someone is good looking or not? It doesn't make up for their personality. Yes, that was exactly it. She was just responding as any young woman would in her situation.

With those thoughts sullying her into drowsiness, Ginny drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

A week later, Ginny walked steadily down the lanes of Diagon Alley, fidgeting with her ivory blouse with every step she took. It was a pleasant afternoon at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream, and she sat down under one of the umbrella tables with some ice cream. Having gotten through with the basic interview questions, she now had to conduct the second part of her interview, which included silly questions about love and women. She cringed when she had read what one of the other reporters had gotten out of her brothers, Ron and Goerge, two of the other 'eligible' bachelors on the list. She was sure Malfoy was going to be a git about the whole situation, and she needed back up with some chocolate fudge.

"My, my Weaselette, didn't your parents teach you manners? You wait to order until everyone in the party has arrived," Draco said to her in a sense of a greeting, gesturing to the empty bowl of ice cream in front of her. Instead of wearing his usual dress shirt professional attire, Ginny noticed that he looked just as pleasant in his dark gray long sleeved shirt covered by a black sleeveless vest, topped off with dark pants. She had to admit, the sun was at the right angle, and crowning his head with a perfect glow, complementing his white blond hair, almost making him look angelic. An angelic Malfoy? Fat chance, she scoffed inwardly.

"Haven't you learned that it's polite to be on time?" She sneered, while he sat down across from her.

"It's fashionable to be late," he smirked. "Something I doubt you know much about."

After handing their menus (she opted to order another ice cream sundae), her brown eyes looked straight at him and said, "Look, we both have other things we could be doing right now so let's just get this over with, alright? Could we try to call it a truce with the insults for today? He hesitated a moment, but then nodded in agreement.

Taking out the papers she was given by her boss, Ginny automatically grimaced. Not realizing she was taking longer than intended, Ginny snapped out of reverie when she heard, "So, is this interview being conducted telepathically or are you going to ask me questions?"

"Oh, right. Just wanted to review a bit before I began," Her cheeks burned, to which he responded with a raised eyebrow.

_Some truce this was going to be._

"As a part of _Witch Weekly_, it is a part of my duty to make these interviews entertaining for readers," she drew in a deep breath. _Merlin save me from the possible onslaught_. "So, boxers or briefs?"

Draco nearly spit out the water he had just been given by the waiter who had returned with their orders. "Are you mad? What kind of question is that?"

"It IS an entertainment magazine! There are a lot of young – and older – readers that love these types of questions! I'm merely doing my job," she explained in defense. "Besides, I wouldn't go out of my way to ask you a question like that," Ginny scoffed, her cheeks reddening.

Noticing a mischievous glint in his eyes, Ginny couldn't help but wince inwardly. "Well, Weasley, if you must know, I go commando," his voice lowering, almost to a hiss. Now it was Ginny's turn to choke on her large ice cream sundae.

"Excuse me?" She sputtered, trying to swallow her food smoothly and turning red, yet again, in the process. The sound of deep laughter answered that question. It was unlike in the past, when that sound was attached with malice or had a hollow ring to it. It was a true, honest laugh that emanated from within, one that let Ginny know she could breathe a sigh of relief. As much as she hated to acknowledge this, she thought his laughter sounded rather pleasant.

"Relax, prude. It was a joke. You ask a stupid question, you get a stupid answer," Draco responded.

"Point taken. But be warned, the next set of questions are like that," she told him. "Or are you too afraid to answer them?" A sense of cheekiness was evident in her tone.

"Bring it on, _Ginevra,_" he answered coolly, placing emphasis on her name. She tried to resist the prickling sensation that was creeping down her neck. How could someone make her name sound so… seductive?

Over the course of the next half hour, they went back and forth with Ginny asking and Draco responding. That moment broke the ice for them, and the conversation was much more civil, flowing much more freely than before. If one wasn't paying attention, they would think it was two friends catching up after a long absence.

"How does it feel to be called '_Witch Weekly's_ Most Eligible Bachelor?'"

"It only confirms what I already knew."

"That you have an incredibly big head and even bigger ego?"

"That my head is perfectly shaped and that I'm the finest piece of arse around here."

"Favorite physical feature on a woman?"

"Arses are nice. Breasts can be too…."

"Malfoy… Malfoy? MALFOY! My eyes are up here!"

"Sorry, love, but I had to stop and evaluate. After all, it is part of my duties as Most Eligible Bachelor."

"Don't call me love."

"Alright, love."

"Biggest turn-on?"

"Eyes."

"What's your outlook on love? Do you think you'll ever fall in love?"

"I think it exists out there, in some form. However, I think people are too consumed with it."

"You _sure_ know what to say to a woman, don't you?"

"I wouldn't be at the top of this list otherwise, would I, Weasley?"

"Fine, fine, no need to get testy. Favorite band and song?"

"The Weird Sister – 'Do the Hippogriff.'"

"Me too! Who knew a Weasley and a Malfoy would have the same taste in music? Least favorite spell?"

"That vile Bat Bogey Hex you attacked me with during my fifth year," Draco's face scowled in disgust. "Who even deems to come up with a spell like that?"

Ginny laughed in surprise. "I'm surprised you remember that. Living with six brothers isn't easy! I had to learn to defend myself – in every way I knew how to."

Draco noticed that Ginny had begun to eye his dessert longingly, having already cleaned the bowl in front of her. He knew that his chocolate chip ice cream with caramel, sprinkled with coconut shavings, graham cracker pieces, topped with whipped cream and a shiny red cherry looked down right delectable, but he sure didn't want to share with her. Malfoys don't share. Especially sweets.

"Hey Malfoy," she began cautiously. "Can I try some of your dessert, please?" She was staring at him with the largest brown eyes that he had ever seen.

"Not in your lifetime," he rebuffed, although not as strongly as he had imagined it would come out. That look Ginny was giving him was unnerving. Did she know she could get away with murder with a flutter of those large, brown eyes?

"Afraid you're going to get cooties, ferret?" she asked with a smirk that rivaled his own. That smirk didn't look so bad on her, he thought idly.

When Draco hesitated to respond, Ginny took that as her queue to thrust her spoon into the ice cream mountain of sugariness. She put a large mouthful into her mouth, licking the spoon upside down tantalizingly. Ever so slowly, the spoon emerged from her mouth, and she repeated the same action again with another heap of ice cream. She idly played with a stray scarlet curl, wrapping the strand around her finger. Draco was paying a bit too much attention to her eating habits. Didn't she know what she was doing was downright distracting? Especially in front of a bloke, that unladylike Weasley, he cursed inwardly.

"What's your favorite part of these high society gatherings?"

"The alcohol."

"I concur."

"Didn't peg you for an alcoholic, Weasley."

"I detested going to those boring functions with Harry; a whole bunch of arse-kissing if you ask me," she stated.

"Here, here."

Draco became increasingly distracted as his gray eyes were enraptured by something on her face, no longer listening to the questions flying out of her mouth.

"Malfoy, is there something on my face?" Ginny asked confusedly. Her pink tongue poked out of the side of her mouth, and she licked her lips thoroughly in hopes to catch whatever excess food was on her face. _Merlin, does she know what the hell she's doing?_ Draco wondered once again. For such an innocent looking girl, she knew exactly which maneuvers to do to distract a man.

Before he knew what he was doing, one of Draco's hands was reaching across the table, brushing several scarlet tendrils away from her face. Using a spare napkin, he wiped off the excess ice cream from the corner of her mouth.

Realizing how close in proximity they were to each other, he quickly retreated. The look in his murky gray eyes demonstrated the shock and confusion that she was feeling at that very moment. Before she could say another word, Draco had mumbled a good-bye and vanished before her eyes.

Ginny looked around the outdoor patio of the ice cream parlor, wondering if anyone noticed what had just happened. It happened so quickly that she barely had a chance to process it. She could still feel the tingle of his touch against her hair and cheek. The afternoon had been the exact opposite of what she had anticipated. By calling a truce, she found that they had more things in common than she had ever imagined. The conversation flowed easily between the two of them, the friendly and unexpectedly flirty banter taking a stronghold.

Ginny Weasley was not exactly sure what to make of Draco Malfoy anymore. She sat there in confusion as the remains of the dessert melted away.

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**Please review on your way out! xoxo**


	6. Seeing Red

**A/N: Hehe, glad you guys are loving the tension between the two! That's exactly what I love about them and their crazy personalities colliding. I couldn't resist but put this next chapter up so soon. :) I had fun writing it. I'm also working on a fun one-shot between Draco and Ginny, so definitely look for that when I come back to publish Chapter 7!**

**DISCLAIMER: You know the drill; don't own these characters, or any of the concepts that seem familiar to you. **

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**Chapter 6: Seeing Red**

Later that night as Draco lay in his bed, his dark green silk sheets wrapped around him, thoughts of a certain red-headed witch continued to plague him. Even the curvy brunette that had just graced his bedroom noticed that something was off about Draco. She left in quite a huff, recognizing that he wasn't giving her his undivided attention. What was her name again? Janet? Jeanette? It didn't really matter.

He ran a hand through his tousled platinum locks. Draco couldn't understand why he was still thinking about the littlest Weasley. There was nothing extraordinary about her, he thought. Sure, she was pretty and had some great assets, but he had definitely seen and had experienced better in his life. Her big, warm, chocolate eyes came back to him. There was something intriguing about Ginny, much to Draco's annoyance. The way her eyes flashed when she became annoyed or excited, or how her eyes softened and became warm. Even that flaming mane wasn't quite as obnoxious as it used to be.

He turned over with a sigh. She was an odd one, that female Weasel. Draco decided that it was pure physical attraction. No Malfoy in their right mind could consider it anything else. Besides, he never had a red-head in his bed before. There was a certain spark and coyness to her he had not seen in any of his previous conquests, and that fascinated him. Yes, Draco decided, it was purely physical. As he closed his eyes, happy to have figured it all out, he mentally noted that Ginny was next on his "to-do" list.

* * *

The morning sun peeked its way through the bedroom ivory curtains, glaring on Ginny's sleeping face and its pale lavender covers. Her bedroom ranged from deep, rich purples to light, airy lavenders accented with a splash of white. Turning over in order to escape from its rays, she grumbled. All she wanted to do was get a few more minutes of sleep until her alarm started blaring into her ear. Brief images of one of the dreams she had last night came back to her. All she could remember was staring into swirling silver pools. Somehow, the thought of that comforted her as a content smile appeared on her face. Ginny distractedly scratched her cat's head as it lay in the middle of the bed with her. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. _Wait a minute… The sun never shines on my face like this, unless…_ Ginny slowly cracked an eye open and glanced at the clock sitting on her nightstand. _Oh, it's only 9:30… WAIT? 9:30?_ She groaned and smacked her hand to her forehead, now wide awake. Ginny must have fallen asleep through her alarm. With only half an hour to get ready to work, she jumped out of bed, ignoring the angry screeches coming from her rudely awoken pet, and sprinted to the washroom.

"Great! Now I don't even have time to shower! I was supposed to pick out a decent outfit to wear to the shoot. Oh, bugger!" Ginny cursed out loud, hurriedly reaching for her toothbrush. Her dark gray disgruntled Scottish Fold cat passed by the washroom, pausing to give her what looked to be the cat equivalent of a death glare.

"Oh come on, Apollo. You and I both know you got more than enough sleep since we slept through the alarm!" Ginny chastised as she made her way out of the bathroom in order to collect some work appropriate clothes. Apollo ignored her and made his way to the kitchen of her flat.

She opened her closet and began to push aside casual shirts and pants to search for her professional attire. Her brown eyes widened in horror as she realized there was nothing to be found in her wardrobe. _Oh. My. God. I have nothing to wear. All of my clothes are at the Laundromat. _With a sigh of frustration, she quickly grabbed the nearest jumper and old denims jeans, changing out of her nightclothes with the lightening speed of a snitch. Ginny ran out of her bedroom and grabbed the nearest robe along with her bag, and departed with a quick _pop!_

* * *

"Thank goodness for robes. They cover the monstrosity that is my outfit," Ginny thought out loud as she set down her bag on the chair facing her desk. Plopping down into her chair, she sifted through that morning's tabloids. As part of her job, she had to keep up with all of the gossip that was going on in the Wizarding celebrity world. She flipped through the pages, idly looking from page to page not seeing anything of interest. As she turned the next page to the society column, she was suddenly staring into smiling jade eyes peeking through jet-black hair. Of course, she thought with a roll of her eyes, what better way to start of my day than seeing Harry sodding Potter in the papers? It was then she realized he was not alone. He was laughing with a woman next to her, and her eyes froze at his arm around the woman's waist.

Ginny's eyes shot up to see the identity of this mystery woman and gasped softly. The headline read: "_**NEW COUPLE ALERT: IS HARRY POTTER DATING CHO CHANG**_?_** – OLD FLAMES REKINDLED**_?" She eyed the raven-haired woman with anger. Cho Chang looked just as pretty as she had been back at Hogwarts, if not infuriatingly more so. The tight little black dress left little to the imagination while she giggled alongside Harry. Ginny slammed the paper down onto her desk, fighting the urge to burn it to ashes. She smiled at the thought of their panicked printed faces as the flames would begin to lick the pages. Deep down inside, she knew that Harry would eventually pursue a relationship, but she hadn't known that he would get serious that quickly! And with an old girlfriend of all people. The morning had barely started and she already longed to crawl back into her warm, safe bed. Could this day get any worse?

Ginny needed to clear her mind and try to get through the rest of her day, so she stood up to energize herself. Her robes whirled around her as she walked across the floor to the break room. Amber eyes anxiously searched for the coffee pot in order to awaken the rest of her half-asleep senses. As Ginny was relaxing for the few minutes she had to spare with her caffeinated elixir before getting on with her work, she didn't see Alice walk into the break room as well.

"Good morning, Ginny!" Alice greeted her co-worker with her over exuberance. However, as Alice turned to look at Ginny, she was a bit surprised at how disheveled her co-worker looked.

"Bloody hell, Ginny. You look knackered." Her voice that was previously syrupy with false positivity had disappeared.

Ginny's cheeks burned as she unconsciously wrapped her work robe closer around her body. She didn't look _THAT _bad. She may not have been wearing a very revealing mini skirt and low cut top like the secretary, but she had to make do with what she had at that point.

"Laundry day," Ginny muttered, setting down her mug. She suddenly wasn't enjoying her coffee anymore. The piping hot beverage now felt cold and stale in her mouth.

That damn Alice, always poking her nose into matters where it wasn't the enamored secretary decided to rattle on about Draco Malfoy's brilliant physique, Ginny quickly glanced at the shiny metallic toaster next to the coffee machine. She did look a bit like hell, and she now had five minutes to fix herself and head down to the photoshoot.

"I wouldn't be able to show my face to Draco unless I looked perfect! He's so handsome…" Alice went on, her bubbly tone returning, twirling her jet black hair around her finger.

Ginny's fingers were itching to grab her wand within her robe pocket and hex the living daylights out of the secretary.

"Uh, it was nice talking to you Alice, but um, I really need to get going! Got to go head down to Malfoy's photoshoot and all," Ginny muttered as she made her way out of the room. She wanted to vomit as she heard the squeals emitting from the brown dolt behind her. Disgusting. Any witch that thinks that sodding git is attractive must be out of her mind. _Yes, but you thought so too,_ another voice countered. She quickly popped that thought bubble out of her mind.

The frazzled red-head quickly grabbed a notebook and quill and shoved it into the inside pocket of her robe. Since Draco was going to be photographed for _Witch Weekly_ today, she figured this was the best chance of finishing her interview with him.

Taking a look at the mirror hanging on the wall by her office door, she frowned. Alice _was_ right, Ginny had to admit. She hadn't had time to properly brush her hair nor apply makeup charms in order to liven up her face. Instead, a very tired and weary looking Ginny was staring back at her. She quickly mumbled a simple makeup charm to liven up her complexion a bit and put her hair in a plait. The makeup charm did little for her thanks to her tiredness, making her unequipped for the steadiness that was needed for such wand work. Ginny let a sigh. What did it matter if she looked good? It was only that ferret bastard. _These hormonal witches are even starting to get to me with their chitchat!_ Taking one last glance at her slightly less disheveled appearance, she sighed and sprinted towards the lift, with only two more minutes until the photoshoot was to start.

* * *

"Ginny! It's so good to see you!" cried Dennis Creevey, as he made his way over to the red-haired reporter, pulling her into a hug. As a testament to his late brother, Dennis had taken up photography, and eventually wound up venturing into it seriously as a career. Luckily for Ginny, being the friend of the photographer of the shoot made it that much more accessible. She inwardly shuddered as she had seen temperamental photographers overreact on the set during her intern phase. She remembered one time when a sandy-haired photographer hexed a reporter into next week for just being within fifty feet of him. It took a week for that witch to recover from the trauma of having jellyfish legs; poor thing was wobbling across the office for days.

"Dennis! Thank you so much for allowing me to come onto the set. I wanted to get a glimpse of the ferret before we met up for the interview. Now where is the pasty-faced prat, anyway?," she replied, after pulling away from the embrace.

"Trying not to vomit at the sight of this Gryffindor love fest," Draco spoke from behind Ginny.

Whirling around with annoyed eyes crackling like embers, she retorted, "My sincerest apologies, Mr. Malfoy. Wouldn't want to get your oh so expensive shoes dirty now, would we?"

"Exactly, Weaselette. These shoes cost three times as that rabbit hole home that your clan lives in, but you know that," He smirked, undoing his work robes. "Oh wait, you don't."

That only further ignited the fire behind Ginny's eyes. "You foul, repugnant, despicable-," Fortunately for Draco, Ginny was interrupted.

"Now, now! We're running a bit behind schedule and Mr. Malfoy needs to get into makeup and wardrobe. Ginny, I trust that you will stay on the sidelines and attend to your duties?" Dennis gave his friend a pointed look.

Ginny put a stop to the adjectives but gave Draco a glare as she brushed past him, hands folded across her chest. She knew that Dennis was just trying to maintain professionalism for the sake of both of their jobs, but she couldn't help herself. Seeing Malfoy kept bringing back all of her adolescent encounters with the former Slytherin at Hogwarts. _Whatever, I'm just here to do my job and then get back to work,_ Ginny thought as she gritted her teeth, sinking into a couch near the set.

When Draco returned, he was no longer in work clothes, but now in an expensive Italian black suit that contrasted sharply with his light pallor and white-blond hair. His dress shirt was a deep forest green and his neck was free of a tie. They had carefully parted his hair to the side, further refining the aristocratic aura that surrounded the enigmatic Draco Malfoy.

Later on, they moved onto a completely different set. It was created to act as a makeshift Quiddich field, in order to simulate that Draco would be playing the game for the shots. He reappeared in green Quidditch robes, the garments only intensifying his athleticism. As he rose in the air on a broomstick, a wind charm was put into effect in order to create a sense of wind for the action shots. Numerous pictures depicted Draco catching the snitch, fighting off bludgers, and even capturing a makeshift game with other model players.

She noticed how artfully Draco flew across the large pseudo-field. While Harry's talents were innate and inherited, Draco seemed to have mastered the art over time. And the hours of practice and dedication showed as he gracefully breezed by. She had never seen such innocent and pure delight in Draco's eyes, as his fair, slender hands wrapped their fingers around that shiny sphere of golden goodness.

Two hours had passed by and Draco was put into a couple of more outfits for the shoot as the sets changed with the attire. Ginny was getting bored, stifling her yawn. The few sips of coffee she had had earlier were beginning to wear off. Just as she was about to sneak away to her office to steal a nap during her lunch break, the art director signaled that the photoshoot was coming to a close. _Thank Merlin. I was this close to nodding off on this couch._

Ginny gathered her material and made her way to the wardrobe section. Right when she got close to the curtain, she ran into a chest. A very male chest.

"Oof!" came out of Ginny as she was muffled by Draco's chest, her hands also pressed across his upper body. Her fingers couldn't help but trigger her tactile senses into overload as she observed just how fit Draco was. She quickly removed her hands away from his body, pretending to ignore what she had just learned.

"Watch where you're going, you blighter!" Ginny snapped, rubbing her nose.

"Well now that wasn't very lady-like, Weasley," Draco stated as Ginny moved back. His nose wrinkled in mock disgust as he said, "But then again neither is your outfit."

"Oh stuff it Malfoy! There is nothing wrong with my-" Ginny started but stopped when she glanced down at what she was wearing. She had forgotten to close her robes after procuring her notepad and quill. She felt her face grow warm as she turned back to look at him. _I must look like a mess._ Her prominent scarlet mane was haphazardly tied up in a makeshift braid, with pieces of hair going about in different directions. She was wearing an old mustard Weasley jumper handed down from Charlie that was obviously too large for her and a pair of very faded and baggy jeans. She hugged her robes closer to her in an attempt to shield the world's eyes from her current lack of style.

"So what do I owe this displeasure? Come to compliment me on my Quidditch skills?" He smirked amusedly, crossing his arms across his chest.

At that, Ginny had to let out a snort, "No, you nutter. I came to finish the rest of the interview," She paused to blow a piece of hair out of her face. "Besides, you'll never be as good at Quidditch as Harry." She cringed inside, unsure of what compelled her to bring Harry up.

The amused glint in his eyes had disappeared, darkening his silver orbs. Clearly Ginny had pushed the wrong button. "If Harry Potter is so great at everything, then why aren't you still with him?" Glancing her over once up and down, he snidely added, "Oh I see why, because he probably left you for the next decent witch that walked by!"

Ginny's eyes widened in shock and she saw red at the thought of her past relationship. Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny raised her right hand and swiftly slapped Draco across the face. The crack resonated off the walls of the large room, as on-lookers avidly watched the two in numb silence.

"Maybe next time you'll think about what you're going to say," she said in a dangerously low voice, trying to maintain her composure. Tears were threatening to fall from her face, but she pushed past him before she would ever allow that to happen.

Once again, a shocked Draco Malfoy was left standing there, this time alone, dumbstruck at the pink handprint that was stamped across his left cheek.

* * *

**Please remember not to cross Ginny Weasley again. I doubt Draco will ever learn that lesson, heh. And ****you know the drill, hit that review button!**


	7. Too Late to Apologize?

**A/N: YAAY! I'm so glad you guys liked the last chapter! I had fun writing that one as well, hehe. I know I said I would have a one-shot up as well, but I've been busy with moving into a new city and apartment for school so I haven't had the chance to finish it! Hopefully by the next chapter update it will be done. **

**DISCLAIMER: Anything familiar I don't own.**

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**Chapter 7: Too Late to Apologize?**

"Oh, Ginny, you didn't!" Hermione Granger cried her brown eyes wide with surprise mingled with a small glint of pride. It was a few days after the photoshoot fiasco, and Ginny was still mortified by the situation. It was time to turn to a close friend for advice. Besides, if anyone could relate to slapping Draco Malfoy, it was Hermione Granger. That current afternoon the two young women were enjoying a hearty lunch at one of the many cafes that were strewn across Diagon Alley.

"I know, I know! It was so childish of me, but I couldn't help it!" Ginny grimaced, smacking her hand to her face and sunk into her booth seat. "At the time it seemed like the right thing to do, but looking back, I look like such an idiot!"

"I can relate. It's a bit hard not to want to slap that signature smirk off of his face," Hermione admitted, taking a bite out of her sandwich. "But still! It could have cost you your job!"

"Somehow Dennis managed to smooth it over with my boss and said it was some sort of accident. I'm quite surprised that Malfoy didn't press any charges. I half-expected him to tirade all over the building like he would at Hogwarts," At the thought of Draco acting like his thirteen year old self, both of the Gryffindors burst out giggling.

After their laughter had subsided, Hermione inquired, "So what are you going to do now? You haven't finished the rest of the interview, right?"

"I still have a few questions left," Ginny let out a sigh. "The only problem is I highly doubt the ferret is going to willingly interact with me now."

"Gin, as much as I hate to say this, I think you need to apologize to Malfoy. As nasty as he was, slapping him was a bit out of line," Hermione advised.

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"He's not as despicable as you make him out to be, you know," Hermione said. Ginny raised an eyebrow at her brunette friend.

"Seriously, Hermione? He used to call you a you-know-what like it was a pet name for you! How can you forgive him for that?"

"I don't know – I mean he is still an arrogant prick, but he's not an immature teenager like he used to be," Hermione explained. "We've all grown up from our Hogwarts day, Gin."

"Grown up, my arse! I trust him as far as I can throw him," Ginny grumbled. "I don't trust the Malfoys, or that whole Slytherin lot!"

Wisely deciding to change the topic before Ginny continued with her rant, Hermione said, "This whole slapping-ferret-face thing doesn't have anything to do with Harry dating Cho, does it?"

Ginny almost choked on her pumpkin juice as she froze. "Of course not! I'm over him," she replied with an exaggerated sense of finality. "Malfoy just made me angry. I mean it's been close to four months now. Why wouldn't I be over it? Clearly Harry is over it – he's already dating. I mean, that's what I've heard, anyway," she said, attempting to be nonchalant.

"If you say so, Ginny," Hermione looked at her suspiciously, not believing her friend.

"Why wouldn't that be what I said?" Ginny asked.

Ignoring the nonsense in the question, Hermione answered, "Because you're gripping your knife so hard your knuckles are turning white."

Ginny glanced down and quickly loosened her grip on her silverware, giving it a sheepish look. Deciding to change the subject, Ginny went on to discuss the many events that were occurring within the ever expanding Weasley clan, from weddings to births. With Ron and Hermione getting married after the war, she was officially a part of the Weasley family, which Ginny was only too thrilled to have happened. After finishing their meal, both of the women parted ways to their respective jobs, leaving Ginny to deal with the mess that she had created.

* * *

_Malfoy,_

_I'm sorry for the way things went at the photoshoot. Unfortunately, I still need to complete the interview with you. If you're still willing, can we meet up sometime next week in order to finish this? _

_Thanks,_

_Ginny_

* * *

_I'm going to be busy all of next week. We can finish this matter over owl correspondence._

_Draco Malfoy_

* * *

_You're invited to Teddy's fifth Birthday! Please join us on celebrating this joyous occasion:_

_When: April 26__th__, 2003 at Noon_

_Where: Malfoy Manor _

_Please see reverse side for Apparition coordinates and/or Floo Network addresses. R.S.V.P. A.S.A.P. by April 24__th_

_Looking forward to seeing you,_

_Andromeda (and Ted)_

* * *

Ginny blanched when she saw the invitation to Ted's birthday. Not only would she have to deal with seeing Harry as he was Ted's godfather, she would also have to see Draco. Having turned over the invitation to see the directions, she nearly fainted when she realized just exactly where the party was going to be at. The aftermath had brought many estranged families back together, such as how the Weasleys were reunited with Percy. Apparently, Narcissa and Andromeda had begun to make amends as well. There weren't many Blacks, or Malfoys for that matter, left after all.

Just how was she supposed to gather her wits about her and walk straight into the lion's – or in this case, dragon's – den? Draco clearly rebuffed her weak attempt at apologizing. Sure, their only semi-pleasant encountered shocked her; it served to shatter the distorted image she had of Draco. It was a pleasant surprise, and she quite enjoyed this new side of him. There was something about him that fascinated Ginny, but she couldn't be sure as to why. But the way he acted at the photoshoot served to confirm to her that Draco was still that same immature bully. However, Hermione's words came flooding back to her. _He's not an immature teenager like he used to be. We've all grown up from our Hogwarts day, Gin. _Deep down inside, she knew those words were true. Not every single Slytherin she had ever met was bad, and not every single Gryffindor she had known was good. While after the war things had calmed down between such stereotypes, old habits were hard to let go.

Ginny sighed. She knew she should go face him and properly apologize for her actions. That was the proper thing to do. She thought about getting out of the party by using work an excuse but she knew she would never hear the end of it from her mother. The Weasleys had become an extended family to Ted, and she knew she hadn't spent time with him lately. With her work duties, Ginny had barely any time to spend with her nieces and nephews, save for Sunday suppers. She knew avoiding Malfoy would not be an excuse that her mother would buy, as much as they would heartily agree with that decision in any other situation.

"You can do this, Gin. You're Ginny freaking Weasley. Look at everything you've accomplished in your life. You're pretty damn brilliant. No mangy Malfoy is going to get in the way of that," She pepped herself up in an attempt to calm her nerves down. Apollo lazily meowed in agreement.

"Right?" she asked, with uncertainty. Shaking off her insecurities, Ginny opted to head down to Diagon Alley in search of a birthday present for Ted Lupin.

* * *

More than a week later, Ginny walked out of her bedroom with a wrapped gift in hand. Taking some Floo powder from a pot decorated with blue flames, she chucked the powder into the fireplace. Stepping into it, she clearly enunciated, "Malfoy Manor!" And with a jolt, green flames engulfed the young woman, taking her to her destination.

Ginny landed with a soft thud into Malfoy Manor. She dusted off the dust, or lack thereof, from the hem of her dress and glanced around the room. There was a fireplace, but the room was an entrance room for someone who chose to Floo to the manor. She was amazed. _Malfoy has that_ much _money to do this?_ She thought with an astonished look on her face. The small lobby was decorated richly; the walls were a deep jade color, of course. There were several paintings hung up, all made by wizard artists, as they moved and talked amongst each other. Malfoy's ancestors were giving Ginny their aristocratic arrogant stares as she moved past them. Besides paintings, a few vases and other expensive decorations were strewn across the room, leaving a small couch near the fireplace, available for a guest to sit on as needed while they waited for the host to greet them.

A few moments later, a curious looking house elf came in."Miss Wheeze, come this a-ways… Everyone is outside!" The potato sack clad house elf squeaked. Ginny trailed behind the house-elf, observing the mini-lobby as she went by. The room was circular and connected to a small hallway, obviously leading to the other rooms, or maybe even wings. They turned right at the hall and walked for a little while. She marveled at just how immense the house was, with its seemingly endless levels of floors and stairs. They eventually stopped in front of a grand double wooden door. The house-elf then disappeared, leaving the guest on the other side of the door.

The door handle designs were intricate, just as the designs on the door itself were. Ginny fingered the shapes if the large mahogany doors, realizing that there were carvings of elegant dragons and slithering serpents interlocked throughout the design. _What do you expect? Malfoy is the name. Dragons and serpents are his game._ Ginny shook her head.

The double doors slowly moved open, the afternoon light spilling onto the ground, ushering Ginny to come outside onto the grounds of the estate. The impeccably cut grass billowed faintly from the touch of the light breeze of the afternoon. Wide arrays of flowers were blooming in several of the gardens, she noticed. To her surprise, there were a couple of white peacocks lazily strolling by, confirming that maybe Ron really wasn't exaggerating his description of Malfoy Manor.

Soon she came across the party of people that had gathered for the festivities. Many red-heads soon came into Ginny's view, making her feel more at home. She quickly found her parents and greeted them.

"Mum! Dad!" Ginny called out, as they pulled her into an embrace.

"We finally get to see our little Ginny," Arthur smiled down at his youngest daughter while she inwardly cringed at being called little. She knew her father meant it as an endearment, but she couldn't help but want to tell him that she was no longer a little girl.

"Ginny! Have you been eating well? I feel like you've been skin and bones," her mother chided while she fussed her hair.

"Mum, I'm fine! I've just been busy with work," she said in an annoyed tone. "I'm going to go say hi to the others." She quickly escaped her parents' clutches while she went on in search for the rest of her siblings – and their respective families. Although the family had suffered a huge loss during the Final Battle, they still managed to pick up the pieces and began to move forward. Ginny loved that her brothers had found their respective mates and had moved onto that next stage in life: starting a family. Her heart swelled at the sight of the newest and youngest Weasleys. Seeing Ted with all of the other children, she made her way over to the cluster of children playing.

"Happy birthday Teddy!" Ginny said when she had gotten close to him. Bending down to give him a hug, she asked, "How old are you now?"

The little boy with big brown eyes brought up a pudgy hand, gesturing with five fingers. "I'm going to be five," he said seriously. "I'm old."

She ruffled his current blond hair and laughed. "You should be happy you're one of the oldest! I hated being the youngest in the family." She turned to hand him the large present. Ted quickly took the large present from her and ripped the wrapping paper off of the box. _He is clearly a long lost Weasley,_ she thought, being reminded of the way her siblings would impatiently destroy the packages of presents they would receive during Christmas.

Ted's eyes widened when he saw what the contents of the gift was. It was a toy broomstick, life size for a child his age that would zoom around slightly above the ground. She opened the box and handed him the broomstick. "You know, when I was about your age, my brothers wouldn't let me ride on their broomsticks or play Quidditch. I used to sneak in and take joyrides all the time," she reminisced as her brown eyes sparkled at the memory.

Ted threw his arms around the red-head, exclaiming, "Thank you, Aunt Ginny! This is the bestest present ever!" He turned away from her, running off to the other children to show off his latest present.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" That familiar voice drawled from behind her. She turned and her golden brown eyes landed on silver gray ones.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Her eyes narrowed and Ginny frowned slightly at the sight of him, body stiffening.

"Because clearly his Black tendencies are getting the best of him at the moment," Draco gestured towards the children with the drink in his hand.

Ginny turned around and stifled a laugh. Ted was taunting the other children mercilessly by showing off his shiny new toy, unwilling to give any of them a ride on his brand new broomstick. He flew circles around them, which frustrated the other children to know end, and Ted took careful attention to rub it in Victoire Weasley's face, her face growing redder and redder.

"Oh, boys!" She sighed. "They're so predictable – always teasing girls. He clearly fancies Victoire." Ginny couldn't help but smile at the children interacting.

"He has good taste; I would go for a blonde myself," Draco smirked. "We are most definitely related."

"You realize she's a Weasley, right?"

They stood there in a surprisingly comfortable silence, a feet or two apart, watching the children play around on the rolling hills of the endless Malfoy estate. Draco reached over and pulled one of Ginny's red curls.

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**LOVE the feedback, you guys! I'd appreciate more. :D I know it kind of cuts off, but stay tuned!**


	8. The Other Side

**DISCLAIMER: Familiar looking things? So not mine. **

**A/N: YAY! New chapter! LOVING the reviews! They totally make my day when I'm checking my email during class or while I'm reading incredibly dense Renaissance poetry. (The woes of being an English major). If there are a few errors, I apologize, it's really late, but I just wanted to get this chapter up! I ALSO put up that one-shot I've been talking about! Go check it out, it's called "Cheers"! :D Hope you all enjoy that one-shot and this chapter. **

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**Chapter 8: The Other Side**

As Draco adjusted his tie through the reflection of his mirror, he sighed. When his mother had told him that they were to host Ted's birthday party at their home, Draco's ears perked at the guest list. True, he couldn't stand three fourths of the guests invited, but _her_ name was amongst the rest that he could stand to tolerate. Even after everything that happened, he still felt compelled to diffuse the situation. . Sure, he had been slapped a couple of times in the past by a woman who had been scorned, but he never actually felt any emotions for his actions. Was this what guilt felt like? This unsettling lurching in his stomach that he could not get rid of?

No, Draco decided. He probably had indigestion or something. There was no way he felt bad for nearly reducing Ginny to tears. Malfoys do not feel bad for their actions. Nor do they feel guilty. Ever. Okay, so what if he did feel bad about it? Ginny had even tried to apologize, but Draco's self-preservation skills kicked in and prompted him to finish the interview through written correspondence. If one snide remark earned him a slap, who knows what else could happen with her unpredictable temper.

But a small voice continued to annoy him. Was this a conscious that people speak of? Perhaps he could find a way to make amends with the scarlet-haired woman. The only problem was, he wasn't exactly sure how to. He hadn't had to make an apology in years. The youngest Malfoy's skills were unfortunately rusty in that department.

Running a hand through his hair, Draco admired the image before him before heading out to the grounds to the party. As his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, he saw a petite figure bending down next to the birthday boy. Her scarlet locks cascaded down her back in beachy waves, pulled back from her face and held together with a simple gold clip. The sunlight reflected the different hues of her hair, highlighting the various reds and browns that made up the unique color of her mane. The gentle breeze slightly swept up the hem of her ivory boat-neck sundress. Her brown eyes glittered as she watched the young boy trot off with his new gift. Draco marveled at how sensual Ginny could look without showing so much skin – a sight he rarely saw.

Before he knew it, his legs were taking him closer to her one step at a time. He hadn't even realized that he had spoken as he got closer to her. Let alone the fact that he actually reached out pulled one of her curls. _What the hell was that about?_ Draco inwardly cursed himself. He had no idea what compelled him to do that, but he felt a strange twinge when his hand explored her luscious, soft tresses.

They stood there next to each other in silence for several more minutes, watching all of the children play with each other as the adults socialized. Ginny knew that the silence couldn't go on forever; even if it was oddly comforting with the person she'd least expect it with. Gathering up her courage, she took in a deep breath and cleared her throat.

"Look Malfoy, I'm sorry for what happened at the photoshoot. It was incredibly wrong and obscenely unprofessional of me to do something like that. I was completely out of line and I let my anger get the best of me. I do hope you'll accept my sincerest apologies."

He grunted in response. He wasn't really sure how these things worked, and decided that not speaking was the best option. He felt an odd pang course through his body, but wasn't sure what that meant.

"That's it? You have nothing to say to me either?" She asked, with an annoyed edge in her voice. "Or are you so used to getting slapped by women?"

Draco blinked for a minute, keeping his cool, collected expression in place. Before he knew it, he saw Ginny bracing herself and closing her eyes, holding her fists up in defense. Her rambunctious band of brothers had taught her the art of fighting, in case their baby sister ever needed it. She stood like that, expecting to feel the first blow and having to defend herself. Just what was this silly girl thinking? Even if they were former sworn enemies, he would never hit a girl, Draco mused. A deep laugh rumbled out of Draco as Ginny stayed in position indignantly. Her eyes fluttered open.

"What did you think I was going to do, Weaselette? Hit you?" He drawled, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," she sheepishly admitted, dropping her arms to her sides, scuffing her left shoe against the grass.

"As I've said before, my parents did teach me manners," Draco said, now moving to walk past her. "We Malfoys pride ourselves on being gentlemen."

Ginny let out an involuntary snort.

"And clearly, you've never been taught how to be a lady, Weaselette."

Not responding, Draco motioned for Ginny to follow him over to the food table. Ginny didn't budge, eyeing the blond man in front of her suspiciously.

"I don't bite," Draco smirked. "Unless you want me to that is."

Ginny rolled her eyes, but started to follow in the same direction as Draco. "Where are we going, Malfoy? Why are you being so nice to me?"

"In case you haven't noticed, but we're apparently the only single people at this shindig," he replied, as he handed her a drink from the table. Ginny looked up and scanned the scene, and saw that he was correct in that observation. Most of the guests consisted of her brothers who were all in attendance with their wives as well as former Order members with their significant others. Even that blasted Harry was there with his girlfriend Cho, much to Ginny's chagrin. Her eyes fell on a smaller group of former Slytherins off to the side. For everything that was said and done after the war, many still found it hard to completely integrate and socialize with every group – such as Gryffindors with Slytherins.

"Scared of being of the big, bad, ex-Slytherins, Weaselette?" He drawled, when he saw what her eyes had landed on.

"No, not at all!" She huffed.

"Then let's mingle with my kind," Draco said, leading her over to a group that was separate from the others. Not giving her an opportunity to protest, Draco took her by the hand, ignoring the warm sensation that was created by this action. Ginny felt like she was walking into the lion's den, unsure of what to expect with the Slytherin Horde. As Draco led her over there, she couldn't help but ask indignantly, "Why are they even here?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Weasel, this is my house," he gestured towards the landscape. "Besides, my mother felt that it would be good for Ted to meet all children from all walks of life."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. What did Slytherins have to offer that was of value?

They approached the group slowly, and Draco proceeded to make introductions. His silver eyes emitted a sense of amusement at the predicament he put Ginny in.

"Weasley, I'm sure you remember some of our former classmates. This is Theodore Nott and his wife Pansy." Pansy seemed a bit more pleasant from what Ginny could remember; her face wasn't contorted into a disgusted scowl for once. There was still a haughty look in her blue eyes as her ebony hair billowed in the wind. Theodore looked tall and gangly next to her. Ginny was pretty sure that Pansy wore the pants in that family.

"Blaise Zabini and his girlfriend Daphne Greengrass," Ginny observed that the picturesque couple could have been featured in a fashion magazine. Blaise stood tall, dark, and handsome with his arm around the waist of his long, slender wife with blonde wavy hair.

"And last but not least, Millicent Bulstrode and her boyfriend Anthony Goldstein," Draco pointed out. Millicent was as bulky as ever, and her stocky beau looked a bit out of place. Ginny couldn't help but whisper to Draco, "I thought Millicent flew for the other team, if you know what I mean."

"We thought that too. I guess she's trying to figure out where her loyalties lie," he replied, giving Goldstein a pitying glance.

The group nodded their heads in acknowledgement to the newest addition of the circle. Deciding that she should show just how amicable Gryffindors can be, Ginny spoke up.

"N-nice to meet you all," She stammered, "uh, again." _Well, that sure sounded courageous, idiot, _Ginny thought.

The group had luckily returned to their conversation, not picking up on Ginny's newfound meekness. She was surprised that there weren't mean quips from the crowd in regards to her shyness or her blood-status or her Weasleyness. They seemed like polite adults from what she had gathered so far.

"Did you all get a look at Romilda at last week's Ministry function?" Pansy gossiped. "She was absolutely sloshed. She was a sobbing mess, crying about her lack of love life. It was absolutely entertaining." Okay, so they weren't necessarily the politest of people, Ginny reasoned, but definitely a step up from the past.

"Thank Gods none of us ever dated her," Blaise replied, unable to suppress a shudder, tossing back his drink.

"Wait, she tried to date you too?" Ginny asked, unable to keep her nose out of the conversation.

"Yes, she sent Draco and me chocolates. Sweets may be the way to Draco's heart, but certainly not mine," the dark-skinned man took a jab at his friend. "You should have heard the shit he spewed thanks to those chocolates."

"Hey, I would have taken her up on that snogging session if she wasn't such a nutter," Draco responded, turning the slightest shade of pink.

"She really was a nutter! I remember she would bombard me with questions about Harry and whether or not he had a tattoo of a hippogriff on his chest," Ginny reminisced. "The nerve of that bint." The entire group shared a laugh at this story, and the conversation quickly turned to old memories.

Soon enough, Ginny began recount the tale in how she played a role in trying to trick Ron into an Unbreakable Vow along with Fred and George. All of the Slytherins seemed impressed with the almost successful prank.

"Wow, Weasley, didn't know you had it in you," Pansy said, indirectly giving her a compliment.

"Who knew you'd have a bit of Slytherin in you?" Blaise observed, smiling. "If I had known this, I may have asked you out during the school days." Ginny didn't miss out on the dark look Daphne threw her, as the blonde's arm around her boyfriend's waist quickly tightened. She failed to notice the same dark look was thrown at Blaise by the blond next to her.

The group continued to exchange old stories, laughing every so often at fond memories. When they weren't busy using their wit for trickery or maliciously, Ginny found that the Slytherins shared the wicked sense of humor that she had. Who knew that Slytherins could be so entertaining? She never expected to find herself in this situation.

* * *

Later on in the evening, as Ted opened the rest of his presents and blew out the candles, she took her dessert to a nearby fountain. She couldn't help but enjoy the exquisite gardens of the Malfoy Manor. Taking in the scenery, she happily began to enjoy her cake, when a certain blond haired fellow sat down next to her.

"You know, you may complain about these high society affairs, but your mother knows how to throw a party," Ginny commented in between large mouthfuls of delicious marble cake. "This cake is fantastic!"

"This is tame by her standards. Andromeda wouldn't let her go all out," he replied as he began to indulge in the dessert as well. "Besides, you should be complimenting me, Weasley, I picked out the cake."

They were interrupted by Victoire Weasley, who had made her way over to the unusual pair. Brushing her blonde hair back, her brown eyes pleadingly looked at Ginny as she tugged at the hem of her dress. "Aunt Ginny! You said you were going to show us how to play Exploding Snap!" Noticing the man next to her, she turned her attention to the unsuspecting Slytherin. "Is this your boyfriend?"

Draco nearly choked on his food. "Are all of you Weasleys that daft?" He gave the young girl a withering look.

Ginny laughed at the rare sight of seeing Draco Malfoy un-composed. "No, no. Victoire. He's um… my friend," answering her niece. She wasn't sure exactly what Draco was. They weren't really friends but they weren't exactly enemies at each other's throats anymore, either.

"You should be his girlfriend. He's very handsome," Victoire replied in all seriousness as she waved a hand through her hair. She went up closer to Draco and took a small candy out of her ruffled dress's pocket. She handed the small confectionary to the man and skipped away.

"That little girl has impeccable taste," Draco smirked as he unwrapped the candy given by the child. As he put the candy in his mouth, Ginny realized with horror that it was a Canary Cream, one of her brothers' creations.

"Malfoy, spit that out! It's one of Fred and George's treats!" she shrieked. Although he listened to her instructions, a yellow canary suddenly appeared in place of the gray-eyed Malfoy that was just sitting next to her. It squawked angrily as it ruffled its feathers in panic. A minute later, Draco returned to his full stature, albeit a little disheveled.

He ran his hands through his hair warily. "Gods, Weasley, what the hell was that?" He eyed the candy at his feet like it was the plague.

"It's a Canary Cream," she said through stifled giggles. "I guess Victoire has taken a liking to you. She only gives people she likes candies like that."

"What kind of child gives such sordid treats?" He raised his eyebrow at Ginny. "I take it back. Ted does not share the family genes, whether or not he does fancy a blonde," he folded his arms haughtily, casting a dark look in the children's direction.

"I told you, she's a Weasley," she answered as she stood up. "It's how we greet people. Now come on, the fireworks are starting!"

The odd duo made their way over to the rest of the group that had gathered together. It had become a Weasley family tradition to put on a fireworks show with Wildfire Whiz-Bangs. Her eyes sparkled in excitement as George and Ron began to let the unstoppable fireworks violently explode into the night sky, creating an unforgettable light show. She smiled in awe at the fire-breathing dragons, the shocking pink-wheel, and the stars with long rocket tails immersed within the traditional firecrackers. Numerous fireworks erupted simultaneously, merging together to create brand new effects. They ended the show with sparklers that spelled out "Happy Birthday Ted!" She clapped enthusiastically when it came to a close along with the rest of the crowd.

As the smoke in the air slowly began to fade away, Harry stood up at the front of the group, with a glass of champagne in his hand. She knew he would say a few words in honor of his godson, but she wasn't expecting what else was about to come out of her mouth. "We figured that this would be a good time to tell you all," he began, his emerald eyes searching for the second-half of the 'we'. Of course it was Cho, Ginny's eyes narrowed. "We thought we'd let our friends and family know first-hand before word got out. We're engaged." Harry smiled widely as people let out gasps, cheers, and whistles. Everyone quickly huddled around Harry and Cho, speaking a mile a minute and asking numerous questions.

Only Draco saw the crest-fallen red-head quickly slip away from the group and disappear with a soft _crack._

* * *

**Poor Ginny. :( I know she would be feel better with some reviews! ;) **


	9. Someone Like You

**DISCLAIMER: Seriously, 99% of this is not mine. **

**A/N: I couldn't resist putting up the next chapter up so quickly! Hopefully this answers a few questions some of you have had.**

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**Chapter 9: Someone Like You**

As Ginny walked down the stoned path of Diagon Alley, she cheerfully walked into the _Witch Weekly_ building. She was almost done writing her first feature piece for the magazine, as Draco and Ginny had completed the work through owl correspondence. Walking down the hallways, she couldn't help but notice the amount of stares, looks, and glances she was getting from co-workers. She was puzzled by the alarming similarity each expression had; each face gave her the look of pity, sympathy, and compassion. Was there something going on that Ginny wasn't aware of?

She stopped by Juliet's desk, still perplexed as to what was going on. Juliet looked alarmed when Ginny sauntered over, only confusing the red-head even more.

"Say Juliet, would you happen to know as to why everyone is looking at me like my puppy just died?" she inquired.

"I take it you haven't read this morning's _Daily Prophet,_ have you?" Juliet said slowly. She knew of her friend's temper and was shrewdly trying to diffuse the impending situation that was to come.

"No, why?" Ginny asked suspiciously. Looking around Juliet's desk, her eyes landed on the paper. Before Juliet could hide the newspaper, Ginny snatched it from the table. There in big bold letters read: "_**OLD FLAMES UNITED: HARRY POTTER TO WED CHO CHANG"**_**. **The sight of seeing the doting couple in black and white and in motion made her nauseated. Although she had heard the news from the wizard himself nearly a week ago, it was still unnerving to see it in ink.

"Did they have to take up the whole bloody page?" Ginny asked icily, trying to hide her emotions. Juliet opened her mouth and shut it. She knew there was much more than what Ginny was letting on but decided wisely not to fan the flames that were beginning to ignite from inside of Ginny.

"Oh you know those blasted reporters. They become obsessed with one celebrity and the spotlight falls on them," Juliet replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. Her blue eyes curiously eyed the calm young woman in front of her.

"I-I better go get some work done," Ginny said flatly, trying to be void of emotion. "I'll see you later."

While she sat at her desk for the next few hours, Ginny found that she couldn't get much work done. Although she was trying to finish her feature article along with a few other pieces, she was continuously interrupted by witches and wizards giving her their condolences. Merlin, it's not like someone died, Ginny thought irritably. Her ex-boyfriend was simply getting engaged to another woman. No big deal. Not at all.

Then why couldn't she string together two words into a coherent thought?

* * *

Ginny cast her things onto the sofa as quickly headed for her room. Picking up the Quaffle next to her dresser, she threw herself onto the bed with a heavy sigh. With her crimson tresses splayed out on her bedspread, she stared at the ceiling, throwing the ball into the air and catching it, repeating the action over and over as she reflected. Sure the news of Harry's engagement was still sinking in, but she didn't need everyone else's false pity either. Ginny hated to admit it, but his new relationship was having an effect on her, unbeknownst to him.

Harry and Ginny's relationship never worked out the way Ginny had intended it to. As a ten year old she fawned over the Boy Who Lived, this mystery boy who seemed larger than life. The year after, the boy with the lightning scar saved her life, which only increased her infatuation with the elusive green eyed boy. As the years wore on, Ginny's feelings for him never wavered, especially when he began to finally return her affections. However, the war interrupted the beginnings of a romance. So she waited. She waited patiently while he went out to save the world. In the aftermath, they had finally gotten together. Just like she had anticipated. Just like everyone knew they would. They were the picture of the perfect, fairytale romance, she mused.

And that's exactly what it was. It was too good to be true. Once Harry was hers, she saw that there was not much else to the relationship. She enjoyed the idea of being with Harry Potter than actually being with Harry. She enjoyed the complicated chase that came with trying to tie him down and the thrill of doing so. She enjoyed the hours she spent imagining the perfect wedding with the perfect dress and the perfect house they would live in. Sure, he was reasonably good-looking, had a good sense of humor, and very kind, but that was it. There was nothing more to their relationship; she didn't feel that special spark one expected to feel. She didn't feel those darned butterflies one was supposed to feel when he looked at her. Her breath didn't catch in her throat when he touched her. She never felt the intense passion she had longed for when they kissed.

The relationship was comfortable, so she stayed. After all, it was expected by everyone that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were going to get together and get married and produce a gaggle of children. She vehemently tried to ignore that there was something possibly wrong in their relationship. Her budding career as a Quidditch player allowed her the distance and luxury of avoiding what had to be done. Eventually, they went their separate ways; both knowing that staying in the relationship for comfort or for other people's sakes was for naught. Even then, Ginny mulled over as she caught the Quaffle, seeing Harry move on so quickly was unsettling. She had naively expected that she would be the first to begin a new relationship. Deep down, there was a part of her that hoped that Harry would have a hard time getting over the relationship, just as she had spent so much time coming to terms with it.

Ginny groaned, casting the Quaffle aside, narrowly missing Apollo who was lounging by the window. It felt like everyone else was passing her by taking the next steps in life while she was sitting on the sidelines. All around her, everyone was moving up in the ranks of their careers, while Ginny kept shifting occupations. Her friends and family members were quickly settling down with the loves of their lives and beginning families. Even those blasted Slytherins were moving on, Ginny thought.

She let out a chuckle. If someone had told her several months ago that she and Harry would be broken up, she would have laughed in their faces before hexing them into the next town. She would have laughed even harder if someone had told her that she would get along amicably with Slytherins and be friends with Draco Malfoy. Well... 'friends' wasn't the right word, but they were no longer at each other's throats. Sure they still insulted each other, but there was no longer ill will and malice lingering in their words. Their conversations shifted to an enjoyable banter. Much to her chagrin, Draco Malfoy was not as bad as she had thought he was. He could be witty, entertaining, and even charming if he wanted to. And he was nice to look at. She grimaced at these positive thoughts about a Malfoy. Life was more confusing than ever and it was quickly turning upside down. Ginny needed to escape from her reality that was quickly caving in.

Sitting up, an idea came to her. Grabbing a spare piece of parchment from the drawer of her nightstand, she scribbled down some words before calling to her owl. If Harry could go out and meet people and have the time of his life, why couldn't she? Ginny wanted to forget every confusing thought that was plaguing her mind at the moment. It was time for a girl's night out; Merlin knew she deserved one after working tirelessly over the past few weeks. What better way than to reconnect with her Holyhead Harpies' teammates.

Ginny grinned at the thought of her former companions. While they all had tomboyish tendencies, especially out on the field where it was all business and the game was their lives, off of the field, they were all just like any other young girls, out to capture the attention of a bloke who happened to look their way. They all enjoyed getting dressed up, especially since there weren't many opportunities to do so as a professional athlete. Hopping off the bed, she quickly made her way to the wardrobe.

She frowned at all of her frumpy clothing. Most of her clothing was rather sensible and classic, but nothing screamed flirty and sexy like she intended for tonight. Looking around the room with a perplexed expression, her eye caught the latest edition of _Witch Weekly._ What better source than to get advice from the so-called fashion bible of the Wizarding World? Ginny thumbed through the magazine until she found the article she was looking for "Tips and Tricks: From Sunday Dress to Little Black Dress". Pulling out her trusty black dress, she began to apply the appropriate charms to transfigure the dress into an exciting ensemble.

Before she knew it, there was a brand new dress appearing in front of Ginny's eyes. She quickly took a shower and pulled on the new garment. No longer was it the simple black dress she had worn several weeks ago upon her first meeting with Draco, it was now a one strap, silky dress whose material clung in all the right places. The figure-fitting dress ended mid-thigh, and she paired it with the highest pair of high heels Ginny could find in her closet. She set to work on her hair, using her wand to charm her wild waves into a sexy straight do. Finishing up the rest of her makeup charms, she admired herself in the mirror.

_Harry Potter who?_ She thought, grinning. For once, Ginny didn't feel as plain as she had become accustomed to over the past few months. It was time to forget about everything and just let loose for the night. With a flick of her wand, Ginny Disapparated for the night.

* * *

Like any other hard-working bloke on a Friday night, Draco took to one of several Wizarding bar and lounges in London with his mates. Across the street from The Leaky Cauldron, pub owner Hannah Abbott decided to open something a bit more modern that catered to the young wizards and witches, simply dubbed 'The Lounge'. As he sipped on his combination of brandy and Firewhiskey, his gray eyes took in the surroundings, perhaps finding a lonely and very single witch in need of a wizard. He knew he was off his game of general conquesting and tonight was the night that he was going to clear up his dry spell.

From his viewpoint at the bar, he scanned the large room. Dressed in chic and contemporary blacks and whites, music pulsated throughout the interior while soft lights of red enhanced the ambience. The amber liquid swirling in his mouth, Draco enjoyed the light, oaky flavors mixed with the punch of the Firewhiskey. He had to reluctantly admit that Muggles made good alcohol. Finishing off the beverage, his eyes landed on a petite witch who was making her way back to her group of girlfriends.

He admired the fine specimen of a woman. The witch's assets were enhanced by the tight, fitted black dress she was wearing. It literally did her hug her generous curves in all the right places. Salazar, that dress was short. Her lovely, creamy legs were put on display for all to see, embellished by some very seductive looking heels. As she sat down with her group, he could slightly see the profile of her face, unable to make out who it was in the dim lighting. She raised her martini glass close to her rouged, pouty lips, only to throw her head back in laughter. Her hair was flowing freely, the straight locks flowing freely down her back.

Was her hair brown or red? Draco couldn't make out the exact color. But it didn't matter anyway. That was one attractive girl sitting several feet away from him, and Draco wanted to end the night on a good note. Turning over to his own group, he nudged Blaise who was sitting next to him.

"Say, what do you think of that witch over there?" He gestured with his white-blond head in the direction of the group. "She's hot, yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess – if you're into redheads," Blaise said nonchalantly, throwing back the drink in his hand. "Say, isn't that Ginny Weasley?"

Draco quickly whirled around in the direction Blaise was staring at. That pretty witch he had been admiring _was_ Ginny. What the hell? Since when did the She-Weasel dress like that? Where were luscious soft locks of crimson? Sure, that straight look looked great on her, but it wasn't the same. Why couldn't she have come like that during their interview process?

With the alcohol circulating warmth throughout his body, he mentally decided that he was going to after her, Weaslette or not.

* * *

Ginny was having a great time being out with the girls. Each of her former team members had dressed up in their party attire for a fun night out. They exchanged good memories, gossip, and much more. It was nice not having to think about any of the real obstacles in her life. She had downed a couple of drinks, and she was enjoying the warm sensation that was taking over her body. Furthermore, she knew she looked good tonight – a few wizards had been eyeing her, and Ginny was reveling in it.

The waitress brought by another fruity drink to their table. This was the third one that was sent over tonight. Just who was sending them?

"Excuse me, miss. Can I ask from whom these drinks are coming from?" Ginny looked up at the waitress.

"That man over there. He's clearly been eyeing you all night," the waitress pointed to the bar with a wink. "Enjoy."

From her limited (and slightly blurred) viewpoint, Ginny saw a tall, sandy-haired man leaning against the bar. He saw the brown eyed woman staring at him and gave her a smile, which was promptly returned. Ginny gathered her purse, and turned to her girlfriends. "Listen, girls, I think I'm going to call it a night… if you know what I mean," she cheekily gestured to the man behind her. After several snarky remarks from her friends, she parted ways from them.

She made her way over to the man, who was still at the bar counter. Standing next to him, he turned to the side to look at her.

"So... I see you've been sending my drinks all night?" Ginny's eyes fluttered up to glance coyly at him. His blue eyes were twinkling back at her.

"Yes, yes I have. That red hair has been calling out to me the whole night. I had to see who it belonged to," he replied back.

They continued to flirt for awhile. Ginny knew this wasn't the wisest of choices – flirting with a random, handsome stranger in a lounge, but so what? She was enjoying the attention, and what was one one-night stand? While a small voice in the farthest corner of her mind feebly shouted that it was wrong, her inebriated senses took over. While she was battling with the voices in her mind, Ginny had ceased to notice that the bloke was becoming fidgety. There was a look of panic in his eyes as he no longer stared at her but rather behind her. The brown haired fellow quickly muttered a good-bye, leaving Ginny confused at the counter.

"What the hell was all that about?" She thought out loud, and turned around to see what the guy was looking at. _Malfoy?_ Just what exactly had he done? With her eyes narrowing, she marched right over to him.

"What just happened, pray tell?" She put her hands on her hips. Draco could see the anger in her eyes. Her eye makeup made her russet eyes smolder in his direction, and it was sending involuntary shivers down his spine.

"Nothing you wouldn't have done yourself," he drawled, handing his empty glass to the bartender. "That prat was a slimy git. I was doing you a favor, Weasley." Truth be told, he didn't like the way that guy was eyeing her like a piece of meat. Sure Draco himself had checked out Ginny once or twice, but this stranger didn't even know her! He resisted the urge to push the man aside when he put a casual arm around her waist. So instead, he started to throw death looks to the bloke. If looks could kill, that poor sod would have been dead the second Draco laid eyes on him.

"Oh sorry, _Ron,_ didn't know you were going to be out with me tonight," she retorted. "I don't need anyone, especially you, looking out for me!"

"Fine, suit yourself! See if I care if you end up with some creep," his gray eyes glared at her icily. Ginny huffed and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. That damn ferret just had to stick his pointy nose into her business! She was supposed to escape from the drama, not have her problems come to her. She walked over to the other side of the bar and motioned for the bartender.

"The strongest Firewhiskey you have," she ordered. "And keep them coming." Ginny decided that it was time to drink her frustrations away. Maybe then, somehow, things would make sense again.

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**Please read and review! :3 (Oh, and check out my new one-shot, _Cheers,_ if you want some more D/G goodness).**


	10. Set Fire to the Rain

**DISCLAIMER: If only I REALLY did own this universe and characters... *goes off and imagines***

**Chapter 10: Set Fire to the Rain**

The room was spinning from where Ginny was sitting, slightly slumped over in her bar stool. She knew she had one drink too many, but she didn't care at that point. She had seen Harry freaking Potter walk into the lounge a short while ago, with a group of co-workers. They were all cheering and congratulating him on his upcoming nuptials. That set her off on her drinking binge, hoping to numb away her feelings of anger, jealousy, confusion, and resentment.

"Pleasee? Just one more? Come on!" Ginny pleaded with the bartender. He looked at her sympathetically, cleaning a beer mug with his towel.

"I'm sorry, love. You've simply had one too many," he answered. "We took your wand away about a half hour ago. Is there someone here that can take you home?"

"I can take it from here, if you don't mind," a voice said from behind her. She whirled around to see who had decided to butt into her business. She rolled her eyes when she saw that familiar platinum blond hair and pale face. That darned ferret was always sneaking up behind her. The bartender promptly handed the wand over to Draco, who quickly put it into his pocket before Ginny could grasp it out of his hands.

"Just what do you think you're doing!" She folded her arms across her chest.

"Now, now Weasley. Friends don't let friends Apparate drunk," he recited to her. Unbeknownst to her, Draco had kept an eye on her when he could throughout the night. Drink after drink, she flirted with several men, although luckily none of them had decided to take her back to their place. It probably helped that Draco was shooting daggers at every man who got within five feet of Ginny. As much as Draco knew he could take advantage of a very drunk Ginny Weasley, his recently recovered conscious told him it wasn't the gentlemanly thing to do. That blasted conscious, he grumbled inwardly, it reared its unnecessary head at the worst of times. Malfoys were gentlemen after all, he told himself, for the most part anyway.

Besides, if he couldn't have her that night, then no one else was going to either.

"Oh, we're friends? I never got that memo," She slurred, but allowed him to assist her in helping her up.

"Oh come off it, Weasley. We're not exactly sworn enemies, either," he retorted coolly, although he knew his remarks fell on deaf ears. There was no point in arguing with someone who was absolutely sloshed. They were clumsily making their way towards the front entrance. He was gently guiding her to the door with his hand on her back, when suddenly she grabbed his arm and put it around her waist. Draco raised an eyebrow, but didn't remove his arm from its current resting place. She ushered them to a table close to the door.

Ginny had seen through her limited field of vision that they were going to have to go by Harry's table on the way out. What better way to make an ex-boyfriend jealous than making it look like you're with his extremely handsome nemesis? She closed the distance between her and Draco, snuggling as close as possible to him, resting her head on his shoulder. The look on Harry's face was worth every sickle in the world. He gaped like a fish at the unlikely pair as they walked past him, giving off the image of lovers pleasantly sneaking away from the nightlife.

"Which way is your flat?" Draco asked when they had gotten outside. It was lightly drizzling on that lovely summer night. She pulled him towards the left of the building, stopping just in front of the window where Harry and his friends were seated at. Slowly balancing herself, she stood on her tip-toes and brought her lips next to Draco's ear.

"It's not too far from here," she whispered coyly, a bit more than she had intended to. A girl couldn't help flirting. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Harry looking intrusively at the pair. Just the reaction she wanted out of him. From an outsider's perspective, it looked like she was whispering naughty nothings into his ear.

Knowing that this was the perfect moment, Ginny went in for the kill. "Just what are you try-" Draco started, but was interrupted when Ginny's lips shut him up, her arms around his neck. She felt him stiffen against her, but he quickly relaxed as their lips continued to mingle. His hands were at the nape of her neck, tangled in her scarlet tresses. Goodness, his lips were as soft as they looked. She felt her whole body tingling from the raw passion that was ignited when her lips touched his. Draco started responding with ferocity, deepening the kiss, eliciting a moan from Ginny. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before, and she realized she never wanted it to end; even it had started as a way to drive Harry insane. Everything melted away once they made contact; it felt so strangely right.

Eventually, they had to come up for air, and Draco broke contact when their hands started to wander. He felt the intensity of that kiss as well, and had difficulty trying to let go of her. But he knew, deep down, that it was simply too easy to take advantage of an inebriated Ginny. After that kiss, Draco knew that he was right in wanting her, but he now wanted her on the right terms.

As both of them were gasping for breaths, trying to calm their heartbeats back into their normal rhythms, Ginny's forehead rested on Draco's chin as they stood there in the pleasant night, taking in the silent moment, listening to the raindrops hitting the ground. Realizing they were out in the open for everyone to see, Draco quickly led Ginny down the street, away from prying eyes. She followed him unsteadily, trying not to trip over her feet.

"What the bloody hell was that about, Weasley?" Draco demanded, trying to maintain his calm and collected demeanor. "Are you trying to get me killed?" He was referring to the scene that had clearly been on display for everyone to see.

"Didn't think you'd bow down to Harry Potter. I thought Slytherins didn't care?" She smirked, one that could rival Draco's own signature expression. Ginny playfully teetered on the heels of her shoes.

"It is when their lives and well-being are at stake! I'm sure your brother would jump at the chance to ruin my beautiful face," he replied, steadying the bumbling red-head in heels front of him.

"You Slytherins sure take that 'self-preservation' bit very seriously," Ginny observed with a bubbly giggle.

"Who wouldn't want to preserve this fine specimen of a male?" Draco gestured towards himself. He heard a chortle in return.

Draco had to admit he was a little impressed by her way of taking revenge upon Harry, even if he was now right in the middle of the situation. "That was downright Slytherin of you, Ginny."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she responded, giving him an impish smile. Deciding wisely that she should perhaps sit down, Ginny took up a spot on the empty sidewalk. "You know… the Sorting Hat did tell me it was a possibility. And Percy too. Actually, the twins as well…" Ginny trailed off, her mind lost in thought.

"Well, you're clearly a Gryffindor to the core, you have some nerve," Draco ran a hand through his hair as he plopped down next to her. "We don't just go around kissing any attractive person that walks by! Even if it clearly is for vengeance."

"Okay pot, meet kettle," she retorted, rolling her eyes at him, absent-mindedly resting her head on his shoulder.

"What's that supposed to mean?" His silver eyes narrowed at her.

"Have you seen the tabloids? You clearly go through women like the days of the week," she inelegantly snorted. "Besides, I've learned that I like making bad decisions; life's more interesting that way." Ginny looked upthrough her dark lashes to stare a very frustrated Draco but her brown eyes continued to twinkle.

"You know Malfoy, you're kind of cute when you look all frustrated like that," her voice lowered a tone. She leaned in to make contact with him once again, but he rebuffed her. Why did people need a conscious anyway?

"You know it's bad when you make me look like the good guy," Draco sighed, breaking their gaze. "Come on, Weasley, let's get you home."

* * *

With barely coherent directions, they managed to make it back to Ginny's flat. Luckily for her, she didn't live too far from the bar. Ginny was beginning to fall asleep against the wall, slumping down to the ground next to the door as he jiggled the key in its hole. It took a few moments, but he heard the click and was about to usher her inside when he saw that she was dozing off. Having no choice, he scooped her into his arms and brought her into what he assumed was her bedroom. It occurred to him that this felt oddly right, having her in his arms. Draco gently placed her onto the bed and began helping her into the covers when she sleepily opened her eyes and gave him a lazy smile, as if she had just woken up from a peaceful nap.

Ginny sat up in the bed and as he was drawing the comforters close around her. Their faces were mere centimeters apart and Draco could feel her warm breath against his face. He swallowed deeply, trying to keep his hormones and emotions in check. She leaned in closer, and his eyes widened, wondering for a fleeting moment if she was about to kiss him again. He would not object to that happening.

Instead, she softly asked, "Draco, why did you help me back home?"

He stiffened upon hearing her question. His given name sounded wonderful coming out of her mouth, he decided. But then the implications of her question tarnished his pleasant mood. Shifting away from her, he stared at her intensely. In a rather harsh tone, he said, "Of course I can't help you because I'm a Slytherin, right?"

Ginny looked incredibly confused at the sudden change in his tone. "What? That's not what I meant at all!"

"Or maybe it's because I'm Draco Malfoy, is it?" He fired back, ignoring Ginny's attempt to reason with him. "I have to have some ulterior motive, yeah?"

"You don't exactly have the greatest track record with women!" Ginny huffed, now frustrated with his ridiculous allegations.

"May I remind you that you're the one that kissed me to get revenge on an old boyfriend? You aren't exactly innocent either." He retorted, his steel eyes swirling angrily with emotion. Who was he kidding? Ginny Weasley was never going to look past her first impression of him. Even if he was fueled by raw desire in trying to woo her; her suspicions of Draco's motives bothered him. He suddenly had this inexplicable need to show her that he was more than what the papers wrote about him and more than that school bully he once was.

"You know we're not all bad people," Draco quietly said, standing up. "Times have changed. I've grown up. Clearly you're not able to see past your little girl stereotypes."

He took his wand out of his back pocket.

"Good night, Ginevra."

There was a soft _crack w_here Draco Malfoy once stood. Ginny was left in the darkness of her bedroom, strangely feeling even more confused that she had been the entire day. Men were so frustrating, especially the one named Draco. Just when they took two steps forward in the right direction, something took them right back to where they started from. He was just so unpredictable; she never knew how he would react. While it was refreshingly exciting, it was also by all means frustrating.

Ginny turned over onto her side, the spirits in her system making her drowsy. After half-heartedly swearing off the male species, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Please read and review! I know this chapter is a bit short, but it didn't feel right in adding so much when the moment we've been waiting for has happened! ;D**


	11. Rumour Has It

**DISCLAIMER: If this was mine, this story would not exist. Please don't sue. I only own a closet full of clothes.**

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**Chapter 11: Rumour Has It**

Ginny Weasley woke up with a start, her body jerking her awake. The light was shining from her uncovered windows, effectively blinding her. She groaned and threw her pillow above her head, which of course, was throbbing. What exactly had happened last night? She rolled onto her back to eye the clock: it read noon. She let out another groan. Ginny knew she had drunk a lot last night and was now regretting that decision.

Although every bone in her body was against it, she threw the covers off of her, slowly getting out of the bed. She stood up to close her curtains, relaxing as the light was no longer piercing through the room and aggravating her throbbing migraine. A wave of nausea wracked her body, forcing her to stand still until it passed. Walking towards the door, she nearly slipped on the dress she was wearing last night. When had that ended up on the floor? She stopped at the dresser mirror, mentally preparing herself to see the damage that was done.

There was Ginny Weasley, in her hangover haze staring back at her with cloudy, brown eyes. Her smoky eye makeup was smudged about her face, her lipstick completely gone from her lips. Her once sleek, straight hair that shone was now stiffly sitting atop her crown, tangled in odd bunches, sticking out in every which direction. Her face was paler than usual and her freckles were glaring back at her. She sighed; clearly it had been an eventful night. That she couldn't remember. Ginny's eyes glided down to the rest of her body, and she noticed that she was in an oversized shirt and pajama pants. That's strange, she mused, she didn't remember changing for bed. Furthermore, she really couldn't remember much of last night.

The rumpled witch headed to the bathroom to cleanse her face and tamed her hair into an untidy bun. Heading to her kitchen, she grabbed a Pepper-Up potion along with some spare Bloody Mary mix. Combining the two to create an odd concoction, she promptly swallowed the unpleasant liquid as quick as she could. Genius trick of the trade from Bill, Ginny acknowledged. Slowly the cloudiness of her mind began to clear up. Light did not bother her as it once used to and she could handle the clinking of dishes.

Since it was a Saturday and her day off, Ginny opted she should take the day easy and instead spruce up her flat. It had needed attending to; she realized as she sipped from her mug of freshly brewed coffee. There were dishes in the sink, books strewn across her sitting room, and the whirlwind that had apparently ravaged her bedroom. Making her way to the bedroom, she surveyed the mess. The red head knew that she had left her room last night a slight mess, but she didn't remember her clothes strewn around last night.

Her little black dress was still in a heap at the foot of her bed. Her shoes had apparently been cast aside near her window. A strapless, lacy forest green bra was strewn across her lampshade and the matching knickers were hanging around the post of her bed. Just what in the world had happened? Several moments from last night flashed across her mind. Ginny remembered pounding that Firewhiskey hard with shot after shot. Leaning her against a comfortable masculine arm that had also adorned her waist earlier that evening. Staring into spell-binding gray eyes in her dimly lit room on her bed, their faces incredibly close to each other. And of course, the memory of his soft, inviting lips against hers as her fingers grasped at his surprisingly soft platinum blond hair as she stood on the tips of her toes.

The kiss was unlike anything she had experienced before. Sure she had kissed several boys in her time, but this one, this blew all of them out of the water. Michael Corner, her first boyfriend, kissed with the inexperience and awkwardness of an adolescent. Things were still new as the teenagers figured out exactly what to do, testing the waters. Her encounters with Dean Thomas taught her lessons on the art of kissing, with his experience of being slightly older, infused with hormonal passion. And of course, there was Harry Potter. Sure, whenever they had kissed it was good; gentle and kind. But that's exactly what it was. Good. Ginny had always imagined true love's kiss to be something out of a fairy tale, and it just wasn't enough. Something had been missing.

None of those other past experiences could compare to the exhilarating yet indescribable feeling that was fueled by raw passion and desire than her kiss with Draco Malfoy. It was everything she had read about in fairy tales and trashy romance novels. This was exactly where those 'foot-popping' kisses had originated from. They made a girl want to swoon and yearn for more. The way he touched her tenderly yet powerfully as he expertly knew exactly what to do with his lips and hands blew her away. The connection that was made upon contact was electrifying, as if it was something they were meant to do all along. Ginny was left breathless and longing for more, much to her chagrin.

With that realization, Ginny's eyes widened in horror as those bursts of memories flashed before her eyes. Her grasp on the mug in her hand loosened, and it fell onto her wooden floor with a loud crash. The broken dish snapped Ginny out of her paralyzed state and she quickly grabbed her wand for a quick cleaning spell. Sure she couldn't remember much else, but she figured this was enough. The evidence was right in front of her eyes.

Ginny Weasley had unknowingly slept with Draco Malfoy. And she was going to kill that pleasure seeking pillock.

She rushed over to her fireplace and threw some Floo Powder into the hearth. With a clearly enunciated "Malfoy Manor", Ginny stuck her head into the fireplace. After some not so subtle threats to the house elves that were preventing Ginny from speaking to _Master Draco,_ she was finally granted access to the fireplace of his bedroom. She was determined to give that pig a piece of her mind.

She was greeted with a slightly confused and unkempt Draco Malfoy. Sitting up in his bed of evergreen silk sheets (figures), he looked very un-Draco. It was a rare sight to see Draco sans calm expression, sans collected demeanor, and sans perfectly styled hair. His platinum locks were standing in every direction. She was a bit shocked to see him look so imperfect and… _normal. _Even more so, she realized that he was sitting there shirtless, the sheets loosely draping the bottom of half of his body. She promptly decided to stop gazing at his appearance and focus on the matter at hand. Clasping his arms around his knees, Draco's lips curled into a smirk at the sight before him.

"So what do I owe the pleasure, Weasley?"

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, MALFOY?"

"Good Gods, Weaslette! Must you yell at this unsightly hour?" He cringed at the young woman's shouting, rubbing his temples.

"It's past noon, Malfoy! But I suppose you're used to eventful evenings out like last night, aren't you?" She said in an accusatory tone.

"Just what do you think happened?" He inquired curiously.

"Don't try to play coy with me, you know what happened," Ginny's eyes narrowed, and he could sense the anger even from her floating, flaming head.

"Why don't you enlighten me?" His voice dripping with amusement, Draco stretched and yawned, effectively distracting Ginny with a nice and lengthy view of his lean and well-toned muscles.

"Don't try flashing me with your goods, Malfoy! I know you took advantage of me! How dare you?"

He let out a hearty laugh at her incredulous allegation. "Have you gone mad, Weasley? Need I remind you, _you_ invited me to that snog session right in plain sight of Potter."

"I'm sure that was part of your conniving plan to get me in bed! You pig!" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Before that vein in your forehead bursts open, Weasel, I suggest you listen to me calmly and carefully. I wasn't the one that drank too much that they would have gone home with the first bloke that decided to take advantage of the situation. I brought you back to your quaint abode like a true gentleman in one piece," Draco revealed.

"Then why the hell are my clothes strewn across the room?" Ginny demanded.

"Well, I did have to get you off to bed, didn't I?" He smiled wolfishly, making Ginny uneasy. "Never would have pegged you to wear such racy knickers, Ginevra. What would mummy say?"

"You _UNDRESSED _me? What kind of 'true' gentleman are you?" She screeched.

Draco laughed again. "You silly witch! I used this magical trinket called a wand. Don't worry, your womanly virtue was kept intact. I have no idea what kind of knickers you had worn last night," he admitted. "But am I right in saying they were racy?"

Ginny furiously blushed under the gleam in his eyes, only confirming his suspicions. "So… nothing happened?"

"Besides you molesting me last night and acting like a twit? No, nothing at all," He said dryly. "And just what, may I ask, was that about?"

Ginny quickly mumbled an incoherent explanation. The only words that were caught were "Harry", "stupid", and "engaged". Draco shot her a bewildered look.

Ginny rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Seeing Harry there last night made me angry, okay? I wanted to get back at him for constantly throwing his new relationship in my face, and since you were right there, my idiotic genius mind decided that maybe if we looked like we were together it would make him jealous." She inwardly grimaced, just knowing that he was going to think she was an immature little girl.

"Do you want him back?" He asked bluntly, throwing Ginny off her guard.

After a few minutes of silence, she said evenly. "No. We're definitely over. I just never expected him to move on first." It was strange voicing her thoughts out loud, finally giving closure to the matter. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I clearly had a bit too much to drink," she apologized, giving him a weak smile.

Draco nodded in response. "Next time, would you be as kind as to not barge into my home like this? I don't appreciate these accusations. I may not be a saintly Gryffindor, but I am neither a sleazy Slytherin," He said seriously, the playfulness in his voice gone.

He leaned in closer to the fireplace, his gray eyes darkening. Draco's voice dropped a register andas it became rather husky, he said, "Besides, had anything gone on last night, Ginevra, you would have had no problem remembering." His few words sent shivers down Ginny's spine. With that final message, Draco cut off the Floo connection.

* * *

Draco ran a hand unsteadily through his tussled blond hair, moving back to his bed away from the fireplace. He lay back down, with a pillow covering his face, the events of the previous night coming back to him. Sure he had been slightly inebriated last night, but he had not been piss drunk the way Ginny had been. He didn't understand why, but he felt the need to watch over her the night before, lest anything happen. He opted to be the true gentleman and take her home. And even when she kept throwing bones his way, touching him, teasing him, and even kissing him, he still remained steadfast on being a gentleman. And judging from past experience, Draco Malfoy was not exactly a Gryffindor gentleman.

Their snog fest lingered in his mind. Who knew such an innocent looking girl had such skill? He knew there was something to that fiery spark about Ginny. She knew how to work her lips to perfection. He had snogged a many a women, but she took it to a whole new level. There was something behind the desperation and thirst for vengeance behind her lips; something he had never felt before with anyone else. Draco just knew he wanted to experience that kiss again and soon. He had her right where he would have wanted her and he had not taken advantage.

And then it dawned on him once again in sober clarity, as his foggy gray eyes widened, still beneath the pillow. Draco Lucius Malfoy may want Ginevra Molly Weasley for more than just a one night stand. The confused man didn't know what to think. He couldn't even remember the last time he had any such feelings for a woman; it was now foreign to his hidden heart. Perhaps, he was wrong, Draco argued with himself, but could not convince himself otherwise. He groaned, further pulling the covers over him, as if slinking into his bed would continue to push this new reality away.

* * *

That Monday, Ginny strolled into the office with a little extra jump in her step. Sure her weekend had been tainted by her moment of debauchery, but all in all, it did the trick. She no longer was plagued by the thoughts that were previously taking over her brain. Besides, she reasoned, it was a bit of innocent fun; luckily nothing had gone further. And on the bright side, she was nearly done with the article on Draco. In other words, there was little chance of running into him again, so she could move on with her life without dealing with any awkward moments.

Little did Ginny know what Fate had in store for her. Sitting down at her desk, she perused through her usual literature of the morning. Stopping by the society page in the _Daily Prophet,_ Ginny's cheery smile quickly dissipated. A full page spread displayed a very large picture of a light haired man kissing a scantily clad woman. The title read, "_**STAR CROSSED LOVERS? BRITIAN'S MOST-ELIGIBLE MALFOY SEEN WITH LOCAL LUSH WEASLEY".**_The picture glaring back at her was of Draco and Ginny mid-snog, bodies entangled, and hands wrapped around in each other's hair. Casting the paper aside as if it contained dark magic, Ginny placed her head in her hands, trying to subdue the impending migraine. Of course the press had gotten a picture of them. The Leaky Cauldron Lounge was a hot spot for young witches and wizards, as well as for celebrities. There were press and photographers spilling out of that place. Their quills were probably burning at the story she practically threw before them. She should have known better than to pull a stupid stunt like that. Damn that irrational Weasley anger, Ginny chided. It always ended up getting the best of her in the end.

And she was _most definitely _not a lush, Ginny childishly thought. Stupid journalists and their need for alliteration.

And the side effects of that Weasley unpredictable temperament continued to linger. As the morning mail came in with her owl, she shuffled through the envelopes until one caused her to gasp. Her almond eyes widened at the red envelope that was in her hands. She jumped out of her seat with a start, springing to action. Ginny ran to the nearest supply closet and quickly shut the door behind her. Grabbing her wand, she cast a Silencing Charm around the room to soundproof it. She knew that waiting for the letter to open would only prolong the embarrassing effect. Tucking a stray strand of scarlet hair, Ginny unsteadily ripped open the Howler.

Ron's angry voice shook the walls of the small supply closet, reminding her eerily of their mother's shrill threats:

"GINNY WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU PUT YOUR LIPS ON THAT SLIMY FERRET! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! I AM NOW FACING INQUIRIES AT WORK FROM CO-WORKERS, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!

I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FAMILY WOULD GO THROUGH WHEN WE SAW THE MORNING'S HEADLINES. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HE CURSED YOU, YOU JUST WAIT UTNIL I GET AHOLD OF THAT SMARMY PRAT. IF HE PUTS ANOTHER HAND ON YOU, I'M HEXING THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF MALFOY!"

Ginny was blinking back angry tears furiously as the letter kept yelling at her. She only caught bits and pieces of the rest:

"-LETTER FROM MUM THIS MORNING. I THOUGHT I WOULD DIE OF SHAME. THEY DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS-"

"-I'M PICKING YOU UP FOR LUNCH TOMORROW, GIN. WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS-"

In a refreshing change of tone, she heard a more collected, feminine voice ring out:

"I'm so sorry Ginny! I promise you that he's just angry and being irrational and extremely Ronald right now. He'll regret this later, mark my words."

"NO I WON'T, HERM-"

"Now see here, Ronald Wea-"

The Howler than completed its message, promptly bursting into flames, landing in a heap of ashes on the ground. She was left mortified in a cloak of silence within the supply room, with Hermione's and Ron's voices disappearing.

_Oh, brother._

* * *

**Heh, I know, I know. It's a bit predictable but it was too good not to pass up! Please review! 3 They help me make it through a week of intense Renaissance Poetry.**


	12. New Day

**A/N: Man, I initially wrote this with so much more drama and angst. I think listening to Adele on repeat has had that affect on me, heh.**

**To the person who asked about the technicalities (although I responded to you personally) – let's just take I took some artistic license there LOL. In reality, uh, I wrote that really late at night so that's perhaps why that silly idea didn't sync up as well as it should have. ****Oh and another reviewer asked if I was British – nope! I'm a Californian, from the U.S.!**

**Also, can't garauntee that the next chapter will be up as routinely as the past several have – currently in midterm mode and decided to take a mini vacation at the best worst time for my 21****st**** birthday. Hehe. Anyways, enough about me….**

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**Chapter 12: New Day**

"Gin, I can't believe you're dating Ferret Boy, and you didn't even tell your own brother!" Ron admonished his baby sister. They sat there, eating lunch and enjoying a game of Wizard's chess in Ron's cubicle on the second level of the Ministry of Magic. Although Ron had since apologized for jumping the gun (as usual) in sending the Howler, he still hadn't completely let Ginny off the hook. While Ginny knew his over-protectiveness was because he cared about her so deeply, she wished Ron had learned other ways to express his emotions.

"Goodness, Ron! Will you calm down? You would be the first to know if I was dating someone," Ginny explained, frustrated. "Or, I guess the last to know if it was Malfoy…"

"So you are dating him?" Ron screeched, his voice getting louder, his sudden movements knocking a few of his chess pieces over. A couple of the younger Ministry officials looked alarmed in their direction, while the more senior officials merely rolled their eyes. Clearly they were used to Ron's hot-headedness.

"And what if I was?" Ginny asked, with a mischievous glint in her eyes. It was much too easy to push his buttons. "Check."

"I swear, Ginevra Molly Weasley, if you are dat-" Ron began lecturing her, sounding again eerily like their mother. Just because everyone had slowly made amends after the war, didn't mean that Ron was suddenly best friends with Draco either.

"You are really that thick if you took my sarcasm seriously!" Ginny scowled, rubbing her temples. She knew it would be no easy feat to calm Ron down. Once he convinced himself of something, it was hard to convince him otherwise. "Check."

"The papers don't lie, Ginny," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Of course they do! I AM the papers! Those tabloids make things up all the time," she explained. "And really, how can you of all people trust anything printed? Need I mention Harry and Hermione and a certain Rita Skeeter?"

Ron's ears reddened at that long-buried memory. "Touché, baby sister, touché."

"I'm your only sister," she huffed. "And checkmate." She flashed Ron a triumphant smile. Not only had she won this argument, she had beaten him at chess! Perhaps, they should play more often when he is as distracted as he was now. As if accepting defeat, Ron opted to change topics.

"You know I let you win, Gin," he responded, folding his arms over his chest.

"Uh huh," she smirked.

"Don't do THAT!" Ron scowled.

"Do what?"

"That Malfoy face! You look like the nasty bugger!" He pointed a finger at her smirk. Ginny's cheeks warmed as she realized she had indeed just used one of Draco Malfoy's signature expressions. She couldn't help it though, that smirk had been taunting her a lot as of late.

"Ron, it's not copyrighted to Draco Malfoy!" She sighed, exasperatedly.

"But the patent is pending," a familiar voice drawled, from behind her. Why was he always around at the most inopportune times? She inwardly grimaced. He was casually leaning against the wall barrier that made up Ron's cubicle, with a file in his hand.

"Malfoy," Ron grimly greeted his co-worker. Draco headed into the cubicle and dropped the folder onto the desk.

"Here's the research you needed on the Romania project," Draco said coolly. Ginny was unaware that the two had to interact at work but was amused at how cordial the two had to be between each other thanks to work. She was sure Hermione had taken great care to teach Ron how to do so.

"I didn't know you two work together," Ginny remarked, looking at the two men.

"We're forced to interact once in awhile," Draco replied idly. "Besides, I should be on good terms with my girlfriend's brother, no?" His gray eyes were shining with amusement. Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but again, it was too easy. She knew he was trying to press Ron's buttons too and she couldn't resist either.

"Oh, how sweet of you, _Draco!_" Ginny swooned dramatically, clasping her hands together and batted her eyelashes. She walked up to the blond and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She stifled the giggle that was trying to escape her lips as she saw how red Ron was becoming. Way too easy. Before he was about to blow his lid, she decided wisely that she should diffuse the situation.

"Oh dear, I think ickle Ronniekins is about to have an aneurism," she sighed, eyeing him wearily. Changing tones, she said, "You'd better go, Malfoy."

Draco quickly nodding in agreement, glad that she was here in order to deal with the madcap Weasley.

After some time was spent reassuring her brother repeatedly that they were not dating, Ginny gathered her things in order to make her way out. Leaving the Auror Department and heading to the lifts, Ginny saw Draco standing in the corridor, waiting for the next lift to arrive.

Her stomach shifted uncomfortably. True, they had just interacted seamlessly a few moments ago, but now that she was in his vicinity all alone, it was different. They hadn't spoken since the morning after The Incident. Relieved to know that they hadn't taken anything further than a kiss, there was an odd pang of disappointment within Ginny. She quickly pushed it aside, knowing that nothing positive could come from a drunken night of debauchery.

Standing awkwardly next to Draco, Ginny decided to strike up a conversation with him. Ginny took a breath in and began, "You know, you didn't have to wind Ron up like that."

"Weren't you the witch back there that was going along with it a short while ago?" He replied, with an eyebrow raised.

Her cheeks burned as she realized her hypocritical statement – but she couldn't admit that to him. "Perhaps! But that's different! He's my brother – I can torture him all I want," she huffed. "Besides, I still don't understand how he found out so quickly."

"Oh, perhaps a trusty owl delivered the behemoth fifty copies of the paper," he answered nonchalantly.

"You didn't!" Ginny looked at him with a look that could only be described as a combination of shock and admiration.

"Your brother is much too easy to rile up," Draco chuckled. "Just like his sister."

"I am not!" Ginny stomped her foot. The lift door opened, ushering the two inside. Recognizing that she had just proved him right, she sheepishly fell back into place, trying to hide her reddening blush.

"Besides, it's tit for tat around here. Him and Potter are always attempting to pull childish pranks on me, so it's only natural that I seek my revenge," Draco explained. Apparently things were not as cordial as Ginny had thought.

"Men," Ginny shook her head to no one in particular. No matter how old they get, they're just over-sized children, she mused. But being Fred and George's sister, she couldn't resist on getting in on the pranking action.

"If you really want to get Ron good, use spiders," she grinned mischievously. "It's his worst fear. One time Fred turned Ron's teddy bear into a giant one."

"Are you leading me on? Weasel is afraid of spiders, of all things?" Draco snorted, much to Ginny's amazement. Maybe she was rubbing off on him as he was on her. "Hang on, why are you trying to help me in one-upping your brother?"

"Because-" the door to the lift opened to the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. "My dolt of a brother sent me a Howler when he found out about our false relationship-" Ginny took a step out of the lift, turning back to look at Draco and raised her determined brown eyes to his, "-and he needs to pay." She broke eye contact and turned away, her burgundy wisps of hair whipping behind her. He couldn't help but admire the subtle sway of her hips as she walked away.

Draco stared at her departing figure warily but with wonder. Her determination in trying to exact revenge was unnerving. And alluring.

* * *

Ginny determinedly tied her curls into a haphazard knot at the back of her head. Tonight was going to be the night. She had a piping mug of tea sitting in front her beside the tea kettle. A fresh set of quills were to the left of her, an unopened bottle of ink on the other side. A stack of parchment paper sat in front of her, itching to be marked up with corrections. Comfortable in her pajamas, she was all set to write out the final draft of her article.

As the reporter went to work on proofreading and editing her piece, events of the past day had come back to her, particularly the conversation with Ron. While she had successfully delayed the preeminent demise of Draco Malfoy by the hands of Ronald Weasley, one phrase kept ringing over and over in her head: _"And what if I was?"_ So what if she really was dating Draco, would it really be so wrong?

She blew the stray strands out of her face in a huff as she rested her head on her hand, casting her work aside. As she swirled the remaining liquid in her cup, Ginny reflected, Draco definitely was more than what meets the eye. Sure he could still be snobbish, but she realized that the malice in his insults had lost their sting long ago. He actually could be funny and clever, she mused. They could argue for days on end about absolutely nothing, and she enjoyed the banter. Draco had outgrown his prejudiced and misguided ways and worked for the right side, in the end. He surprisingly wasn't a monster to the children, thinking about the birthday party. How he could be friendly and cordial with others, demonstrating that Slytherins were not all such cold snakes. The way he enjoyed chocolate as much as she did, if not more. And then of course, Draco was not heard on the eyes, she smiled to herself. His amazingly soft tresses, the way his lips curled into a genuine smile when he would quip, the way his eyes lit up when he was amused. He could be a gentleman when he wanted to. Who else had been her platinum knight in shining armor during her drunken state? Ginny's thoughts began to turn into daydreams as she began to pace around her flat. The more and more Ginny thought about it, she could easily see herself spending more and time with Draco, eager to discover the many facets to his personality. Maybe it wasn't such a laughable idea that Ginny could date Draco.

No, she shook her head, the quaint picture in her mind disappearing. Her reflection stared back at her as she examined her lightly freckled complexion and her untidy hair. Draco probably wouldn't be interested in someone like her. Someone who could just made ends meet month after month. Someone that was not tall like an Amazon or had shining blonde hair. She knew she couldn't compare to the glamorous models and aristocratic women Draco had dated in the past. And she couldn't have imagined what happened earlier today; he had clearly been flirting back at the Ministry….

However, Ginny had not forgotten what was said that night. _"You know we're not all bad people... Clearly you're not able to see past your little girl stereotypes."_ Maybe she had judged him; done the very thing she had essentially insinuated that Draco did at every opportunity. Perhaps she was so blinded by antiquated rivalries to see the error in her own ways. She groaned, placing her face in both of her hands. She had clearly offended him by misjudging him time and time again. He would never be interested in her now.

"Good job, Gin," she chastised herself. "You blew any opportunity you had."

Slumping back into her kitchen chair, she aimlessly twirled a quill between her fingers. Suddenly it became clear. The article. That would be her way of showing Draco that her opinions on him were no longer what they used to be. Ginny smiled widely. By portraying him in a positive light, perhaps she could make amends with Draco.

Maybe there was still a chance.

* * *

**I like tag-team D/G lol. Anyway, please be sure to leave a review! My stressed self will appreciate it a lot! :D**


	13. Hiding My Heart

**Chapter 13: Hiding My Heart**

**A/N: Wow, I am so sorry that it's taken me almost a year to update this! Life simply got in the way. =/ I've also had the hardest time being able to start this chapter. But I promised myself I would finish this story for once and for all, especially since I have a few ideas for more fics! I can't thank you enough if you were still waiting for me to return. 3 I apologize in advance for any mistakes; I just really wanted to post this up!**

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After a hard night's work, Ginny had promptly passed out in her chair, leaving all of her supplies in disarray. Crumpled pieces of parchment littered the floor, several broken quills lay next to her feet, and there were splotches of ink across Ginny's face, having accidentally spilling some onto her table. The light from the kitchen window was staring her down, but she refused to stir. Something wet was touching her face, lightly brushing up and down against her cheek. Ginny turned her head to deter the disturbance. A few minutes later, the annoyance resumed. Grunting, she slowly lifted her head to see what exactly was going on, only to be welcomed to Apollo's furry face.

"You really couldn't let me sleep for five more minutes, pal?" She sighed, scratching under his chin.

Stretching her back and arms in place, she stood up, working out the kinks in her body after an awkward night's sleep. Ginny tried to run a hand through her hair, but could not wade through the mass of tangles her hair had become overnight. She let out another sigh, albeit a happy one. Sure it was past noon, but she was finally done with her blasted article! The recollection of that thought revitalized Ginny into completely waking up. Her eyes lit up as she searched for the neat stack of papers sitting on the chair beside her, ready to be handed into her boss.

Suddenly, she could hear the birds chirping outside. The light breeze coming from her open window felt refreshing. She lightly twirled around the room. A huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and she could now relax. Twirling into her bedroom to get ready, she hoped that this article would be able to kill two birds with one stone. Ginny was confident that the piece would receive her editor's approval, but deep down she was truly hoping it would serve as a way to make amends with Draco.

Putting her hair in an easy braid, she quickly pulled on an old Gryffindor Quidditch jersey and jeans. She snapped her protective guards in place on her arms, knees, and shins. Lacing up her trainers, Ginny grabbed her trusty broomstick along with her bag, heading out the door. She had just enough time for a quick flight around the field before dropping off her article. _I deserve a treat after all, _the writer reasoned as she walked outside of her flat building down the path.

The local Quidditch Pitch was not far from her home, allowing Ginny frequent trips to keep her flying technique on par. It was one of the main reasons she opted for this location, back when she was still playing professionally. Protected by charms and spells making it inconspicuous to Muggles that walked by, wizards and witches were free to fly about as they pleased without worry. Looking both ways to make sure the coast was clear; Ginny quickly crossed the street through the archway into the pitch.

In no time Ginny went into her routine of warming up her muscles and limbs before mounting the broom to take flight. Ascending into the air, she felt her stomach turn, although it was a pleasant feeling. She loved watching the ground become smaller and smaller as she continued to ascend higher into the air. The other players on the ground became further away, the noise of the world beneath her began to get muffled and eventually faded away.

Up in the sky was where Ginny truly feel free; almost infinite. She loved the way the cool breeze blew against her face as she zoomed about, taking turns and making loops. Stray strands of scarlet fluttered in the wind as she made laps around the court. Ginny Weasley felt content and light. Things were beginning to fall into place as she began to set her plans into motion. She couldn't anticipate what was to happen next.

After all, she figured, things could only go up from here, right?

* * *

His slender fingers absent-mindedly traced the curves of the invisible serpent still seared on his left forearm. Although covered by strong glamour charms, the Dark Mark remained as a scar, a visible reminder of his complicated past. Draco's suddenly tired eyes closed as he reflected on what life once was.

Sure, he had joined the Aurors by aiding them in recovering missing Death Eaters and other co-conspirators. Sure, he had gained the tolerance and begrudging civility of the other wizards. But everyone would give him a withering once-over after hearing the name 'Malfoy'. Draco was always met with judgmental gazes that were unwilling to look past his name and his past mistakes. Many people still didn't understand that the war was not simply black and white; there was a large gray area. He may have been on the wrong side, but the things he did were to protect his own. Now, every move he made after the second wizard war was met with scrutiny. Every move was made to ensure to try to restore honor to the Malfoy name, in order to create a new life for himself and his mother.

Although he was slowly making amends with the Wizarding community at large, life was still lonely. Draco had opted to work out of his own office at Malfoy Incorporated, rather than have to deal with people at the Ministry. That didn't always provide the opportunities for new, life-long friends. And his personal life was no different. Sure, Draco dated, but it was for the sake of filling up the void in his life. None of the women he dated truly wanted Draco for Draco. They wanted his fame, notoriety, and wealth. No one seemed worthy enough for him to lend out his fragile heart to… until, perhaps, now.

Ginny's warm brown eyes and red curls came into his vision. He could hear her ringing and joyful laughter, a sound that sounded so pure and genuine to him. He could even smell her perfume, a blending of vanilla, cinnamon, cherry blossoms, and something uniquely Ginny. However, he was snapped out of his reverie from a buzzing sound behind his chair.

Draco let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Swiveling his chair around, he pressed the button of the blaring box in front of him.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Williamson is here for your 11:00 AM meeting, shall I send him through?" A syrupy sweet voice rang out.

Draco couldn't suppress an eye roll. He HATED meeting with Mr. Williamson. The fellow wasn't half-bad, but the public relations department as a whole annoyed Draco. While he did need assistance in maintaining a positive image, he still didn't like being told what he could or couldn't do. He was his own man, after all.

"If you must, let's just get this over with," Draco replied back, rubbing his temples. He had to mentally prepare himself for PR meetings.

Ethan Williamson burst through the door, barely able to see in front of him, due to the stack of papers he was carrying as he came into the office. Placing the pile with a thud in a chair, he sank into the adjacent seat to face Draco. His dark brown hair was sticking up in multiple directions and his suit was a tad wrinkled. Ethan wasn't that much younger than Draco and was one of the newest members of the PR department. Unfortunately with Ethan, being the rookie of the group, he got stuck with the worst tasks – such as debriefing Draco with the latest tabloid fiasco.

"To what do I owe the displeasure, Williams?" Draco asked, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Um, sir, it's Williamson… And, uh, well, you know, i-it's-" Ethan stammered, unable to state the purpose of his visit.

"Spit it out, Willis!" Draco shouted, casting his quill aside and looked square into Ethan's nervous blue eyes, which were framed with square glasses. "I don't have all day."

"It's about these—" and Ethan motioned towards the stack of papers sitting next to them. "The tabloids have been having a field day with those photographs that captured you and Ginny Weasley in, uh, um, a compromising position." He pushed his glasses back onto his face from the bridge of his nose. "And sir, it's Williamson."

"Yeah, yeah, Ivan, whatever," Draco muttered. Truth be told, he knew the bloke's name, but it was more entertaining watching the guy squirm uncomfortably in his seat. It kept him on his toes, Draco reasoned.

Williamson sighed but continued, "Well, these fictitious stories of you 'painting the town red with the Scarlet Harlot' as one paper quips is not boding well for your image. Women, young and old, who buy many of your products from the subdivisions of Malfoy, Inc., want to see Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor… as a bachelor."

"Since when has my personal life gotten in the way of sales? I've been photographed plenty of times with women," Draco responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, sir, it's not just that… The PR department is concerned that because Miss Weasley is a part of the press, she may take advantage of anything she has witnessed or heard while in your presence," Ethan explained.

"Weasley wouldn't do that, she's a freaking former Gryffindor," Draco rolled his eyes.

"You did take caution to tell her when things were 'off the record?'" Ethan asked. He grimaced when he was met with silence but decided to continue. "Furthermore, Miss Weasley's own status as a former celebrity has dwindled since she left the Quidditch industry. She may be trying to use this situation as a means to get her name back into the press. The PR team suggests that you cut off ties with Miss Weasley at this point in time. This is a precarious time for the company and we are trying to create the least controversial image for you."

Draco leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "So, you're trying to tell me who I can and cannot see?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, sir."

"Williamson—" Draco began in a dangerously low voice as Ethan's eyes grew huge at being called by his correct surname, "I suggest that you get up and Apparate out of this office now before I decide to send multiple parts of your person in several different directions."

"But, sir, this is only in your best interest and—"

"ARE YOU THICK AS A BRICK? I SAID, GET. OUT. NOW." Draco yelled at his employee. He was seething now and was doing his best not to brandish his wand out and hex the man into next Thursday. His voice could be heard down the hall by the lift entrance.

Ethan didn't need to be told a third time. He quickly disappeared with a terrified pop.

The blond placed his head in his hands, taking several deep breaths. Slowly, his pulse began to return to normal. _How dare anyone tell a Malfoy who he can and cannot interact with? I do what I want._ _How dare he insinuate that Ginny would take advantage of their…unconventional… relationship? _

He was pacing back and forth in his office now. Another voice butted into the one-sided conversation.

_Relationship? What relationship? She could barely grasp the fact that you did something nice for her. Look at how she used you against Potter. She's much more cunning than anyone gives her credit for. Maybe that blasted department is on to something…. _

His slate eyes squeezed shut in frustration and he let out a groan, running a hand through his hair. This was ridiculous, and it was getting him nowhere. He quickly grabbed his cloak and broomstick and vanished.

* * *

And it was on the field that he found the crimson-haired devil that he had just been thinking of. He rolled his eyes; couldn't he even take a simple broomstick ride without running into her? Draco tried to distract himself in preparing himself to take the air. However, he couldn't help but watch the youngest Weasley enjoying herself on her broomstick. There was pure joy on her face, he could practically feel the delight radiating off of her as she swiftly soared in the clouds above him. The confusion and ill feelings he had toward her were beginning to fade from his memory as he was mesmerized by the young woman on the broom. There was something so breathtaking about seeing her so clearly content and in the moment. He saw her russet eyes turn in his direction and locked in on his. Draco's eyes widened and he lost his balance while stretching, nearly stumbling over his belongings. He quickly recovered, casually dusting himself off and quickly looked around, making sure that no one had noticed this rare moment of imperfection.

Turning back, Ginny Weasley was square in his vision as she was now descending closer and closer to him. She softly touched the ground and gracefully dismounted her broom, walking over to him. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she gave Draco a bright smile. A warm feeling overcame him, although he couldn't quite pinpoint why. That wonderful smile did nothing for him. Not one bit.

"Ah, it's the man of the hour," Ginny greeted, setting her broom down and began sifting through her bag. "Figures I would run into you out here."

Draco ran his slender fingers through his platinum locks. "I come out here to clear my mind," he responded, as his earlier meeting briefly flashed before him.

"I do that too!" Ginny exclaimed, unaware of the grimace that quickly flashed across his face.

I was going to schedule a time to meet up with you, but this works out even better. I have something for you."

Draco stood a little straighter, unsure of where this was heading. He tried to ignore the few slow butterflies slowly whirring around within. He sincerely hoped he looked calm and collected on the outside. Instead, he coolly raised an eyebrow and said, "Something for me?" _Yeah, totally cool._ "It wouldn't happen to be a tin of homemade treacle fudge, now would it, Ginny?"

Ginny let out a snort. "Are males that daft to think that all women spend their spare time in their kitchen baking goods for men?" She sighed when she was answered with a blank look from Draco. "No, you numpty, I finally finished my article! I was actually heading over to the office to drop it off, but I wanted you to see the completed piece as well."

A packet of papers emerged from her sack and she moved in closer for Draco to be able to read the text. The familiar scents of vanilla and cherry blossoms emanated from her warm body. Just as his eyes scanned across the title, "DRACO MALFOY: THE PRODIGAL BACHELOR RETURNS", a bright flash appeared in his peripheral. Draco wildly looked up, catching a bumbling figure scamper deep into the bleachers.

"Those bloody photographers won't give it a rest!" Ginny swore and then began to shout at the elusive figure. "TOO BAD YOU'RE TAKING PICTURES OF A NON-EXISTENT STORY, DUMB ARSE!"

Draco Malfoy's eyes narrowed. From the vantage point of the photographer, Draco and Ginny looked very cozy in their current position. A million thoughts began to whizz inside his mind, bouncing off the walls of his brain. Just what did she mean by 'this works out even better?' The words of Ethan crept into his head. _She may be trying to use this situation as a means to get her name back into the press._ And just what was she playing at with that headline?

"This is what you wanted, isn't it, Weasley?" Draco said icily, his gray eyes glaring at her.

She shot a bewildered look at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't try to play innocent with me, Weasley. You planted that photographer right there. You wanted him to snap a photo of us and put it into that rag of a magazine you work for," he spouted.

Ginny looked at Draco as if he had grown a second head. "Are you okay, Draco? What is wrong with you?" She leaned in to place a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away from her touch.

"I can't believe that blasted Williamson was right. You created this masquerade just to generate more press," Draco kept going on, ignoring the shocked expression on Ginny's face. "You tricked me into not going off the record… just what do you mean by 'Prodigal Bachelor' anyway?... This was all some insane plan to boost your own status, wasn't it Weasley?"

"I had nothing to do with that sleazebag paparazzo over there, Malfoy," she sneered. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but rest assured I would never stoop so low to do something like this."

"Like I'm supposed to believe that? You used me against Potter, what makes me think you weren't using this opportunity for your own gain?" He retaliated. At that Ginny's eyes widened but she kept silent. She walked past him to gather her things and began to make her way out, holding her broomstick over her shoulder.

She slowly turned back, and said, "As someone recently told me, we're not all bad people. Perhaps you need to open your own eyes, Malfoy." She threw the article in his direction, and he easily caught it, acting on reflex. "Maybe if you actually read what I wrote instead of spewing conspiracy theories, you'd realize that my eyes are wide open."

Having the final word, she silently turned around and made her way out of the field, leaving a very confused Draco Malfoy.

* * *

"…once at the center of Dark Forces during the war, Draco Malfoy has since proven himself time and time again by redeeming himself in many ways. From helping to restore Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to donating new wings to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies, the heir to the vast Malfoy fortune has truly repented to society… Indeed, behind those elusive granite orbs that charm many a women and surprisingly soft light golden locks (believe me, I've felt them!), is a surprisingly down to earth bloke. See below as I was given the opportunity to solve some of Wizarding Britain's most asked questions, such as does Draco Malfoy wear boxers or briefs?..." Blaise let out a snort as he read the article out loud. He chugged the liquid from the glass in his hand. Next to him, Draco idly swirled around the clear liquor around in his goblet, looking slightly green as opposed to pale.

"She sure painted you negatively, mate," Blaise said sarcastically. "I can see why you were so concerned."

"Oh shut it, Zabini," Draco muttered. As soon as work let up, Draco quickly assembled his best mate at their usual bar. He needed someone to recount the day's events to. Eventually, that led to Draco spilling to Blaise about everything that had happened during the past couple of months, from their first encounter to that fateful night at the lounge to the Quidditch Pitch fiasco.

"No, no, Malfoy, I totally get it. An attractive bird with killer legs basically throws herself all over you – albeit a Weasley, but we can let that go, at least she's a pureblood – and against all of your Malfoy-isms, you act like a complete gentleman and help her out. She proceeds to feel bad for her preconceived notions about you and basically puts you on this grand pedestal by way of this article and you proceed to act like a whack job and throw away any chance of getting with her," Blaise paused to sip his replenished glass. "Did I leave anything out? Oh yes, you now feel like a complete arse for what you just did because you have feelings for the red-headed Weasel."

"Her name is Ginevra," Draco automatically corrected, which only made his friend chuckle.

"Oh, you are so far in, Malfoy," he slapped Draco's back.

Draco looked at him suspiciously. "So far into what exactly?"

"You sir, dare I say it, may be in love," Blaise bluntly stated.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Do you feel suddenly happier when you see her? Even from a distance? Does her smell drive you insane? Do you enjoy the sound of her voice? Her laughter? Do you notice all the little things she does? The way she eats her food? The way she walks?" Blaise continued to list off a long checklist, only to be met with silence. Draco couldn't negatively answer any of his questions. He instead scowled when Blaise's rumbling chortle rang through his ears.

"Exactly how I was with Daphne, my boy."

"Well oh-so-wise-one, what do you suggest I do about it then?" Draco challenged.

"Oh, I can't help you there, Drakey-poo," Blaise replied. "I think you may have obliterated any chance you have with the woman." He consumed the last remains of his drink, slowly enjoying it descending down his system.

"Draco Malfoy, you sir, are an idiot."

Draco groaned as his head made contact with the bar counter.

* * *

**A/N: I'm honestly not sure if I liked how it turned out, but I really needed to move forward somehow. Please read and review! I can't wait to tie together the story – we're almost at the finish line! If you check my profile info, I have a tumblr where you can also get in touch with me. :)**


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